Fledgling Deity
by Divineffej
Summary: After defeating Cell, Gohan decides to continue his training. However his experience at the Cell Games has given him an aversion to the Super Saiyan 2 form. Can he find a way to become stronger without it?
1. Chapter 1: Secret Training

Fledgling Deity

Chapter 1: Secret Training

Disclaimer: Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball GT, and Dragonball Super are all the property of people who are not me. I don't make any money off this, I'm just writing for fun.

* * *

The sun beat heavily on the shoulders of the boy sitting cross-legged on a cliff. It overlooked a calm forest nestled within the valley below. He was miles from home, relaxing; at least that's what he told his mother. It had taken him long enough to convince her that an occasional break to wind down would be beneficial to his studies. So he did what he had to to maintain the fiction.

In reality, he was meditating; despite what you might think, it can be pretty strenuous. Gohan, a Half-Saiyan, the son of a saiyan and a human, was training. Not for any particular reason; there was no threat to the Earth (currently). He just felt this was something he should do, what with the Earth being a magnet for super-powerful, super-destructive beings. His power might be needed to protect the Earth at any time.

 _"I wish mom could understand that,"_ He thought. _"What good is being a scholar if the planet is annihilated because I neglected my training?"_

He remembered his first and only attempt to convince his mother to let him continue training…

* * *

The Son household was quiet; the Cell Games had taken place three days ago. Cell was vanquished, the world saved, an alleged Hero emerged, the people rejoiced, and one family quietly mourned the loss of a husband and father. Gohan and Chichi were eating breakfast slowly; something unusual for Gohan as he usually ate as if his food was about to sprout legs and run away. Gohan stopped picking at his food and looked up at Chichi.

"Mom? I need to talk to you," Goku's wife hadn't stopped eating. She didn't seem to notice him speaking.

 _"She really is taking Dad's death hard. Was she like this the first time he died?"_ After his father had died the first time, Gohan was immediately whisked away by Piccolo for training to repel the next Saiyan invasion, so he wasn't around to see how she had handled it.

Gohan felt the guilt wash over him again. Everyone told him it wasn't his fault. Hell, even his dad hadn't blamed him. However, he couldn't help but think it was his fault; a result of his arrogance and inexperience. The power of an ascended Super Saiyan, a Super Saiyan 2, was so immense and intoxicating. He grew arrogant, and decided that he would use his new power to punish cell for his transgressions.

" _As if I had a right to punish him!"_ Gohan berated himself, _"I should have destroyed him immediately, so he couldn't cause any more damage. He would suffer plenty for his actions in Hell, just like every other villain."_

Chichi finally looked over at him, realizing that he had said something.

"I'm sorry Gohan, what was that? I must have been daydreaming." Chichi tried to smile for her son, but it came out as a grimace. She had lost so much, and he was about to make her upset again. But it had to be done. It was necessary, Gohan knew that. He needed to be stronger, so the next threat couldn't hurt anyone. So he wouldn't have to lose anyone else.

"I- I want to continue my trai-"

 **"NO!"** Chichi interjected in a loud voice, her face stony enough to crack. Gohan could see her tremble slightly before calming down. "There's no reason for that. What's more you need to concentrate on your studies, you've fallen so far behind it will take years to get to the level you should be right now."

"Mom, you know I'm ahead of most people my age. I only need to study for a few hours a day, and I'll use the rest for training. I need to be strong enough to protect everyone." Gohan pleaded, willing her to see things his way. Chichi stood up and gathered her son into her arms.

"I just lost my husband to a monster, I will not lose my son too!" she said tearfully. Gohan didn't know how to react to her tears; he had always been somewhat inept at handling these kinds of situations. He hugged her back and tried to think of what he should say next.

" _No matter what, I can't see her agreeing. Continuing will probably only worsen the situation, so maybe I should let it drop… for now, at least."_ Mr. Piccolo always stressed the importance of choosing your battles, and it seemed a good time to apply that advice.

"I understand, Mom, if you want me to stop training then I will," Gohan said, trying to keep a straight face. This was the first time he had ever deliberately deceived his mother, and he knew he was bad at lying. Thankfully, with her face over his shoulder she couldn't see his face, and accepted his lie as the truth.

"Thank you so much, sweetie," Chichi said as she pulled away, tears in her eyes, "Now hurry up and finish eating, you've got studying to do." Gohan nodded and started eating like he usually did, ferociously. Chichi was satisfied that she no longer had to worry about Gohan training. Gohan was such an honest boy; if he promised not to train then he wouldn't.

* * *

Gohan shook himself out of his recollection. Not long after that, he showed enough progress with his studies to convince her to give him more free time. She thought he was out playing with Icarus, his friend/pet dragon. it was true that Icarus was nearby, so Gohan felt less guilty about deceiving his mother, after all he _had_ said 'I'm going to spend some time with Icarus' and, _technically_ , he was.

On the other hand, his training was going well. His mastery of the Super Saiyan transformation seemed to have reached it's limit. There weren't any noticeable benefits from training in this form, so he had been practicing the kata that Piccolo and his dad had taught him in his base form. But, really, he was just putting off what he had been meaning to do.

Master his Ascended Super Saiyan form.

He had planned to master it the same way he and his dad had mastered their first transformation; by staying in that form for an extended period and becoming accustomed to the increased strength and strain on his body. But he hadn't started yet. In fact, he hadn't performed that transformation even once since the day of the cell games. He could think of a number of reasons for that, but only one was real. He was afraid. The last time he had ascended, his father died. What if he transformed and someone else died?

" _I should go talk to Piccolo about this."_ Gohan decided. Piccolo always knew what to do in situations like these. Gohan couldn't have asked for a better mentor. He expanded his senses to look for Piccolo's ki signature. He felt it off to his left; calm, collected, determined… Piccolo's ki always felt like that when he meditated. He was ready to take off towards the Lookout when…

"GOHAN, DINNER IS READY," Chichi's shout echoed impressively through the mountains.

"Well, I can always go tomorrow," He said, smiling and rubbing the back of his head. Then, in a burst of white ki, he blasted off towards home.

* * *

A/N: I did some proofreading, fixed a few errors, and changed some phrasing. Hopefully it reads a little better.


	2. Chapter 2: Piccolo's Help

Chapter 2: Piccolo's help

Disclaimer: all things Dragonball are not my property, nor will they ever be. I do not make any money off this story.

A/N: The long anticipated (since yesterday) second chapter of Fledgling Deity is out! I hope you enjoy this considerably longer chapter.

* * *

An abnormally large, green man with pointed ears, piercing eyes, and two antennae dangling from his forehead stood at the edge of a large platform floating in mid-air high above the earth. Everything about this scene was strange, but the figure in question was accustomed to being strange. At one time he had considered himself a demon. He had aimed to dominate this world, bend it to his will. That changed after he became acquainted with a young half-saiyan, his first friend, who seemed to be heading here at this very moment.

"So Gohan's coming to visit," he said quietly, "This should be interesting." Gohan wasn't one to visit for no reason. Mostly because Chichi kept him so busy with books that he didn't have time for such things. No matter what Gohan was coming here for, Piccolo was glad. He was always happy to see his protege, though he would sooner kill you than admit it.

Dende came out of the elegant white building at the center of the Lookout. He was still learning about his new abilities and responsibilities as the Guardian of Earth, but he was easily able to detect Gohan's approaching presence.

"So, you sensed Gohan approaching?" Piccolo asked, not bothering to look behind as Dende approached the edge. Dende nodded, "Yes, his ki sticks out like a sore thumb compared to most earthlings, Nail- I- I mean Mr. Piccolo!" Dende flubbed the last bit, he still had trouble thinking of him as Piccolo rather than Nail. Piccolo smirked, not really bothered by the slip. Though he decided a light glare was required, on principle, otherwise he might keep making the same mistakes. Dende shrunk from Piccolo's glare at first, but eventually worked up the courage to glare back challengingly.

 _"Ha, good. If he can't even stand up to me, then he's not qualified to be the guardian."_ Piccolo thought with approval. Just then a white speck of light appeared on the horizon. Gohan would be there within minutes. The silence stretched as they waited for him.

"DENDE! MR. PICCOLO!" Gohan shouted from afar, excited to see his friend and his mentor. He descended onto the Lookout and dispelled the white aura around him revealing a purple gi nearly identical to Piccolo's own, minus the cape and hat. With a hop and a skip, Gohan approached Dende and gave him a big hug. Dende happily reciprocated, glad to see his friend again.

"Eheh heh heh," Gohan laughed as he let go of Dende and noticed Piccolo scowling at the display of affection. "It's nice to see you, Mr. Piccolo" He offered a respectful bow to his teacher.

"Hmph, likewise," Piccolo grunted, "So, what brings you here kid?" Piccolo asked with a cocked eyebrow. Gohan scratched the back of his head nervously, showing the famous Son family tick.

"Well, haha, you see… I have a bit of a problem," Gohan hedged. Finally, deciding to get to the point, he put down his hand and adopted a serious expression, "I've been meaning to train in my ascended Super Saiyan form, but I can't bring myself to do it," He looked at Dende, who held a sombre expression at the half-saiyan's words, then back to Piccolo, serious as always. "Every time I try I'm overcome by a fear of how the transformation might cause me to act," He looked down avoiding both their gazes with his fists clenched, "I've already caused three deaths in that form; my dad, Trunks, and Cell. I'm glad Cell is gone, and we were able to wish Trunks back, but dad is gone for good now," He raised his head and looked at Piccolo with hard eyes, "Even if the possibility that something like that will happen again is low, I don't want to risk it." Piccolo was focused on him, trying to comprehend what he was going through so he could find a solution.

Piccolo was silent for a while. Dende was motionless, surprised by Gohan's words. He knew it must be hard to lose his father, but to struggle with the idea that you were a danger to your own loved ones was something he couldn't comprehend. He wanted to help Gohan but didn't know what to say.

"I can see that you have a problem, but I don't think the solution you're looking for is the one you truly want," Piccolo crossed his arms, "Tell me, kid, are you asking me to help you overcome your fear of transforming, or are you asking if there is a different path to become stronger?" Piccolo waited for an answer impassively.

"I- I'm not really sure… are you saying there _is_ a different way?" Gohan was unsure of how to answer, if there was another way then maybe he didn't need to use the ascended transformation.

 _"There is always a different way, Gohan, but if you let this power slip out of your hands because of fear… then maybe I've misjudged you."_ Though Piccolo thought this he remained silent. _"Perhaps a test is in order,"_ He thought, and with a sharp movement sent a heavy punch to Gohan's face, sending him over the edge of the lookout and plummeting towards the ground.

Gohan was shocked, Piccolo had just attacked him out of the blue! Well, not that shocked. It had been a while but Piccolo had done this before, back when he was training for the Saiyan invasion. He had wanted to do it during the training for the androids too, but dad had convinced him not to. While Gohan was remembering the past, Piccolo had appeared above him, hands over his head poised to strike. Gohan noticed, but began moving to block too late. He felt a painful impact on his stomach, and began falling to the ground much faster than he was before.

Impact with the ground hurt, but not as much as that hammerblow. He quickly shook off his confusion, got up, and gracefully transitioned to Super Saiyan. His senses shot out in search of Piccolo's location, but had a hard time locating him. This was a common tactic for Piccolo, who was very good at ki suppression. Because of Gohan's impact with the earth there was a cloud of dust hanging around him, limiting visibility. Normally, in this situation a fighter would fall back on ki sense, but with Piccolo's power suppressed he couldn't be reliably detected. This created an opportunity for a variety of different attacks. But Gohan had experience against this tactic; he focused his hearing, listening for disturbances in the air.

He quickly turned around and raised his left arm to parry Piccolo's punch, and returned fire with his right arm. But Piccolo twisted out of the way. They began exchanging regular blows, neither doing any real damage.

"You're a much better fighter than this, Gohan, if you had the resolve you could end this fight in an instant," Piccolo said, dodging an uppercut by jumping back, "Why are you playing around? Give me a real fight!" he yelled, a sudden stretched arm took Gohan in the chest and sent him into the air. Gohan released a blast of ki to stabilize himself in the air, and looked at Piccolo with a frown.

 _"Piccolo knows I'm much stronger than him. If I fought seriously, I might hurt him. Surely, he understands that?"_ Gohan thought. If anything happened to Piccolo because he couldn't properly control his power, he would never forgive himself.

It seemed Piccolo was tired of waiting for an answer. He raced towards Gohan sending numerous ki blasts at him, likely trying to create an opening for his real attack. Gohan kept dodging or deflecting the blasts, staying at a distance from his foe. Before long he realized his mistake. Piccolo wasn't creating an opening for his real attack, he was setting it up. In the air around Gohan dozens of powerful ki blasts floated, menacingly.

 _"I've never seen this attack before, I can't see any way to dodge!"_ he thought, frantically trying to come up with a way to escape or counter the attack.

"HELLZONE GRENADE", he heard Piccolo shout. Suddenly all of the ki blasts homed in on him, simultaneously.

 _"If I transform into a Super Saiyan 2, I could easily escape this attack!"_ Gohan realized. His speed in that state was unmatched, it might as well have been teleportation as far as anyone else was concerned. _"That must be what Piccolo wants me to do!"_ Gohan thought, eyes widening, _"Put me in a situation to force me to transform. That way I'll have no choice but to face my fear. It's just the kind of thing Piccolo_ would _do. But Piccolo, I haven't trained in that form at all. There isn't enough time for me to transform."_ Gohan watched the ki blasts arcing towards him from every direction. At this point all he could do was mitigate damage. He gathered ki for an explosive wave. If he timed it correctly, he could detonate the blasts prematurely while his own explosive ki protected him from the blast.

Gohan was scrunched in a ball as he prepared his defensive measure. He suddenly straightened with a shout, sending his arms and legs out wide while a golden sphere of energy surrounded his body. The explosive wave detonated the nearby ki orbs, which in turn detonated the closest ki orbs. Gohan's explosive wave would only persist for two seconds, meaning if any blasts escaped the chain explosion, he would be left wide open. Unfortunately, that was Piccolo's intention from the start. Five ki orbs had been suspended in the air a distance away from the others in preparation for just this situation. The explosive wave ended, and Gohan felt the pain of five simultaneous explosions wash over him.

"Gaaah!" he choked out. His eyes shut tight and teeth clenched against the pain. He could feel light burns where the orbs struck him, and the concussive force of the explosions rattled his brain. The eleven-year-old shook his head, and made a decision.

 _"I have to take this fight more seriously, or else I'll keep falling into his traps. As a full power super saiyan, my strength and speed surpass his but brute force won't cut it! I need to fight smarter; to stop hesitating. That's what Piccolo expects from me! I won't let him down."_ Gohan focused back on the battle. He was still obscured by the smoke from those five ki orbs.

 _"I can sense Piccolo hasn't bothered to move; he can't hide his ki all the time. I need to take him by surprise!"_ Gohan quickly came up with an idea. Why not use a type of attack Piccolo would never expect? He looked at his right hand, index and thumb extended while the rest of his fingers curled into his palm. He gathered ki at the point of his finger, and it began to glow a bright red. He understood the theory behind this kind of piercing beam attack, but found it somewhat distasteful, considering it was Frieza's calling card.

That was irrelevant now, as he extended his arm and aimed his finger like a pistol. He even decided on a name for his new attack.

 _"Just watch me Piccolo. I don't need super saiyan 2 to win this fight."_ , he thought.

"STINGRAY!" he shouted, a flash of red appeared for a fraction of a second, giving Piccolo a smoking hole in the shoulder.

* * *

"AUUUGH!" Piccolo grabbed his wounded right shoulder. The heat had instantly cauterized the wound, preventing any bleeding. But the pain was still there, and the arm wouldn't be of much use for the rest of the fight, Piccolo could only use regeneration for amputation wounds.

" _Looks like he's finally taking this fight seriously, I guess it's time to push harder,"_ Piccolo decided. He readied ki in his left hand, then sent a powerful yellow beam of into the cloud of smoke. The beam detonated, clearing the smoke and showing Gohan's absence. Suddenly, he looked straight up. Gohan was descending upon him quickly, golden aura blazing and left fist cocked back and glowing blue with concentrated ki.

" _If he hits me with that, I might actually die!"_ Inwardly, Piccolo was impressed at the kid's conviction. He usually tried to avoid causing injuries while training, and here he is with one attack after the other meant to cause serious harm.

" _This is how a fight should be, kid,"_ he thought, vanishing before Gohan's attack could reach him. He reappeared a dozen meters away and watched the devastation as Gohan's fist sank into the ground where he had been standing. Cracks spread a few meters from the epicenter, before slabs of earth were sent into the air. Piccolo knocked them out of the way as they flew at him.

" _Interesting new attack,"_ Piccolo mused, _"Seems Gohan's been expanding his arsenal since his fight with Cell. I've never seen him use these types of attacks before, usually he relies on the Masenko, Kamehameha, basic ki blasts, and physical combat. I'm glad he finally realized the importance of versatility"_ Piccolo ended his thoughts and focused on Gohan's next move.

* * *

Gohan removed his fist from the ground. He hadn't intended for that attack to hit Piccolo, it's true purpose was to make him wary of creative new attacks. It was set up for his next attack; one he was determined to end the fight with. He set himself in a low stance facing Piccolo with both arms readied at his sides. He began sending a volley of ki blasts around Piccolo, strangely not aiming directly for him.

* * *

Piccolo's eyes widened at the sight of dozens of blasts heading in his general direction.

 _"It couldn't be, that attack isn't so simple that it can be easily copied only minutes after experiencing it! Gohan's not_ that _fast a learner, is he?"_ Piccolo couldn't risk it; he could feel the energy stuffed into each blast, this attack was meant to finish the fight. Piccolo was forced to dodge in wide arcs; he couldn't allow Gohan to concentrate the blasts in one area and he couldn't approach Gohan for an attack because he would be too easy a target. While dodging he had lost sight of his opponent when the sound of blasts firing stopped. He took a moment to look around, and noticed the area was conspicuously missing dozens of floating ki orbs.

 _"A feint!"_ He quickly realized, _"He mimicked the opening of my Hellzone Gre-,"_ His thoughts were interrupted when his stomach spontaneously sprouted an arm. Miraculously this arm was connected to a young Super Saiyan. Piccolo couldn't breathe and it was hard to think of anything but the pain.

 _"Is this how Cell felt when Gohan knocked 18 out of him?"_ Piccolo thought through the pain, _"I almost feel sorry for him!"_ Piccolo suddenly found himself flying into the ground. Gohan had removed his arm from his mentor's stomach, and sent a crushing kick to his skull. Gohan spun around to position himself mid-air for one of the most famous martial arts techniques.

"KA… ME… HA… ME…" He chanted, but stopped before finishing. The vibrant blue ki orb suspended in his hands pulsed with energy, letting off an undulating whine. Gohan raised his voice so Piccolo could hear him.

"Mr. Piccolo, earlier when I asked if their was another path, you didn't answer. But I've decided you don't need to, I'll find the path myself!" Gohan was panting from the exertion of the fight and maintaining the azure ki orb in his hands. Piccolo struggled to his feet, struggling to breathe. His stomach and head ached after those last two attacks, but he readied a ki blast to combat the Kamehameha. Piccolo wouldn't back down. Gohan's Super Saiyan aura flared.

"HAAAA!" He screamed out the final syllable with his hands extended. A bright blue beam of energy shot towards Piccolo, but Piccolo was ready.

"MAKOSEN!" He shot out a beam of yellow energy with his left arm. The two beams collided and began to struggle against each other. It quickly became apparent that Gohan's attack would overwhelm Piccolo. The beam inched closer, blue overtaking yellow. Suddenly, Gohan let go of his attack and flew around the two beams ramming himself and Piccolo out of range of the explosion.

There was a low, but loud, boom as the energy waves destabilized and exploded. The shockwave lifted dust off the ground for miles as it passed at the speed of sound. Gohan was glad he had gotten them both out of range in time… and that the fight had been so far from civilization. Gohan was still on his guard; he hadn't dropped his transformation. He looked over to where Piccolo lie on the ground, wary of a surprise attack. Piccolo looked over at Gohan with a genuine smile on his face, purple blood flowing down the side of his cheek.

"Alright, kid, you win," Piccolo gasped, panting hard. Gohan was surprised, and his expression showed it.

"I thought you would be angry that I'm abandoning the ascended Super Saiyan transformation," Gohan admitted, scratching the burn mark on his arm while reverting to base form. Piccolo shook his head.

"I started this fight because you were afraid of your own power, and that was preventing you from progressing. But it seems you found your resolve during this fight. You may have chosen differently than I would have, but you didn't do so out of fear. That's what's important.

Gohan was touched by his teacher's words; he smiled and held back tears of relief that he had gained Piccolo's approval with his decision. Piccolo was even worse at dealing with tears than Gohan.

Instead, he limped over to Piccolo and gave him a big hug, careful not to exacerbate his injuries. Piccolo scowled up a storm.

"Must you?" Piccolo growled, resigned to his fate as he didn't have the strength to resist.

"Yup," Gohan grinned, cheekily, "Now let's go ask Dende to fix us up." Gohan carefully picked up Piccolo and floated gently up towards the lookout.

* * *

A/N: So, my first fight scene; what did you guys think of it? I think it came out well, though not all fight scenes will have this much dialogue. This fight doubled as a lesson for Gohan, and a catalyst for decision. I wanted to add a scene with Dende watching the fight, but I felt this was a good place to end. Maybe I'll put it in the next chapter; expect it soon (maybe tomorrow).


	3. Chapter 3: In The Stands

Chapter 3: In the stands

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the dragonball shows, you should know that by now.

A/N: New chapter, as promised. We've got new cover art, courtesy of FlamexSilver on DeviantArt; big thanks for letting me use it!

* * *

Dende watched in shock as Piccolo sent Gohan flying off the lookout.

 _"What's happening… why is Piccolo attacking Gohan?"_ Dende wondered. His hands were trembling as he watched Piccolo fly after him. _"I have to do something,"_ he thought. But what could he do? Dende was a healer, and more recently, a Guardian of the Earth. He hadn't even fully understood the duties of his position, much less if it gave him the ability to interfere or influence such tremendous battles as the one occurring far below.

He began watching the events below. Piccolo had already begun training him in the farsight technique, so he had no trouble seeing the fight despite the distance. The biggest problem was the speed at which they were moving. Dende couldn't keep up. He recalled Piccolo's advice on observing high-speed combat.

 _"The trick to observing fast-paced battle is to be fast yourself. If you can move at those speeds, then you can observe others moving at those speeds. However, this option isn't available to you, as you aren't a fighter. You will have to learn to focus ki in your eyes to increase the speed of your perception."_ He hadn't had much time to practice the technique, but he didn't have much choice.

He cringed when Piccolo smashed Gohan into the earth. He was shocked when Gohan sent a beam eerily similar to Frieza's Death Beam. He was even more shocked when Krillin showed up.

"Hey Dende!" Krillin called, dropping down next to Dende. Krillin was a bald monk wearing an orange Turtle style gi, similar to Goku's. "I was relaxing at Kame house, and suddenly I feel some power-levels go off the charts. I thought there might be a new android or something." Krillin said with a determined face.

Dende didn't want to consider that possibility; he had just become the guardian of earth, was it too much to ask for a few decades of peace? Or maybe centuries, or an eternity? He briefly considered using the dragonballs to wish for eternal peace, but quickly realized that the deceptively simple sounding wish would be beyond Shenlong.

"No, Krillin, it's nothing like that. Gohan came to ask for advice, and Piccolo suddenly attacked him," Dende still wasn't sure what to do about that.

"Oh, man," Krillin despaired, "What should we do? Is Piccolo returning to his evil ways now that Goku is gone?" Krillin clutched his head in both hands and shook it back and forth in panic.

"Krillin, please calm down. I don't believe that to be the case here. Besides, both Gohan and Vegeta are capable of defeating him if that were the case," Dende assured the panicking monk. Now that someone else was here panicking, he felt much calmer. Dende sent a silent thanks to Krillin, though he doubted the human warrior had done it on purpose.

"Yes, shut up, Cue-ball. I'm trying to concentrate on the fight," came a gravelly voice from somewhere above them. The two searched for the source of the voice, though both already knew to whom it belonged. Krillin spotted him first, hovering a couple dozen meters above the lookout in his ever-present spandex and armor.

"V- Vegeta, what are _you_ doing here?" Krillin stuttered. He wore a stunned expression, as if he couldn't fathom the fact that Vegeta had stopped training for any reason.

"As if I would miss a chance to see the Namekian have his ass handed to him in a real fight," Vegeta scoffed, "Once the brat transforms into an ascended Super Saiyan, the Namek will be crushed in an instant." Vegeta hadn't once taken his eyes off the fight below.

 _"Considering what Gohan said earlier, I don't think that's going to happen,"_ Dende thought. He didn't bother to voice the thought for Vegeta. He didn't think much of the man that had slaughtered a village of his people whilst searching for the dragon balls. They had been wished back to life, but that didn't forgive his actions. He turned his attention back to the fight in time to see Gohan fire a volley of ki blasts at Piccolo.

"Hey, that looks like Piccolo's new move 'Hellzone Grenade' that he used against 17," Krillin commented, "Did Piccolo already teach him that?" Krillin asked curiously; his head tilted to the side. Krillin received no answer, so he continued watching. Piccolo was dodging in a wide area to prevent the ki blasts from gathering in one spot around him. Then Krillin saw what Piccolo didn't. The ki blasts didn't stay in the air, but Piccolo was too busy dodging to notice. Suddenly, the volley stopped and Gohan vanished. Krillin searched for him, but couldn't see him.

 _"How fast is he moving?! He hasn't even entered Super Saiyan 2 and I already can't keep up with him!"_ Krillin gaped. Gohan was incredible; he'd always been strong, but now he'd reached a level Krillin felt he never would. Krillin saw Gohan appear next to Piccolo and firmly plant his fist into the green man's stomach.

" _Oooh, that's gotta hurt,"_ Krillin cringed. He heard a guttural laugh from above him, obviously Vegeta was enjoying this. Next thing he knew Piccolo was on the ground, while Gohan charged up a Kamehameha.

" _Oh god, has Gohan gone crazy!? That much power might kill him!"_ Luckily, Piccolo was able to respond with his own energy beam. Krillin was too far to hear what Gohan said before firing, but Vegeta's enhanced hearing was able to catch it.

" _So, you're abandoning the greatest power ever achieved by Saiyan-kind, brat. This idiot is worse than his father; at least Kakarot understood the importance of strength. At least Kakarot had pride. Am I going to play second fiddle to this kind of weakling!?"_ Vegeta welcomed a new resolve and wrapped himself in it like a cloak, _"If you're so eager to throw away this new form, then I will take it for myself. I will master it, and I will surpass it. I WILL BECOME THE MOST POWERFUL WARRIOR IN THE UNIVERSE!"_ Vegeta swore this before jetting off to Capsule Corp. to renew his training.

Krillin and Dende didn't notice his exit, absorbed as they were in the beam struggle between Gohan and Piccolo.

"Gohan is winning," Dende remarked, "If things continue, Piccolo is really going to die." Dende tried to maintain a passive countenance, but his worry shown through, _"Please don't die, Nail."_ There was a flash and the beams destabilized. The explosion was massive.

"OH NO, I can't believe it. They're both dead!" Krillin cried at the heavens, _"I'm sorry, Goku, I couldn't protect your son!"_ he lamented, actual tears in his eyes. Then his eyes widened comically, "Chichi is going to murder me!"

" _Is this guy supposed to be a hardened warrior?"_ Dende wondered, incredulously. _"Doesn't he have the sense to search for their ki signatures?"_ Dende had never met Chichi; he didn't understand how a human could be so scary.

"Krillin, I can still feel their ki. It's weak, but they appear to have escaped the blast," Dende assured.

"OH! Right. For a second, I forgot I could do that," Krillin muttered, "Do you think the fight is over?" he asked.

"I hope so. Watching those two fight is nerve-wracking." Dende answered. The explosion was making it hard to see, as it had sent a dust cloud into the air. It slowly settled and revealed the beat up forms of Gohan and Piccolo. Gohan had Piccolo's arm over his shoulder, supporting him as they flew towards the lookout.

"There they are!" Dende shouted in excitement, _"Finally, the fight is over. I was worried something awful would happen,"_ he thought. Krillin flew towards them and put Piccolo's other arm over his shoulder.

"Oh, hey Krillin! When did you get here?" Gohan asked, surprised by Krillin's presence.

"Not that long ago. I was in the area, y'know," Krillin shrugged.

"I thought you were at Kame house? Isn't that pretty far from here?" Dende queried. The fight had been pretty short, lasting only ten minutes. That wasn't enough time to get here from Kame house.

"Oh, right. I did say that, didn't I?," Krillin admitted sheepishly.

"Why make something like that up?" Gohan asked, while both he and Krillin set Piccolo down on the lookout.

"Ah, well, y'see. It's kind of embarrassing," Krillin explained, while he rubbed the back of his head; a habit he had picked up from Goku, "I was, uh... kinda looking for someone, but I couldn't find her."

" _Her_ ," Gohan repeated. He smiled mischievously, "Who is _Her_?" he asked. "It wouldn't happen to be a certain android, would it?" Gohan smirked, he could finally pay Krillin back for all the times he had teased him.

"Urk. What! No way! Why would I- why would I be searching for her?!" Krillin evaded smoothly. Smooth as tree-bark. His entire head was turning red, which Gohan took note of. Piccolo smirked at his student's antics. Dende wasn't sure what was happening, but it was amusing.

"Y'know, 18 really is pretty; maybe _I_ should go ask her for a date?" Gohan was smiling like an idiot; teasing Krillin was more fun than expected, "Considering I freed her from Cell, and all, she'll probably say yes."

" _Damn, damn, damn. He's totally right!"_ Krillin panicked, _"Why would she pick me over him, the strongest man in the universe? Chicks like strong men, don't they!?_ Krillin still hadn't realized Gohan was messing with him. Gohan chuckled mentally at Krillin's expression, but decided he had had enough.

"I was just kidding, Krillin. Don't you think I'm a bit young to be dating?"

"You! You tricked me!" Krillin gaped. Gohan couldn't help but laugh at his expression. Krillin sighed, "Yeah, I was looking for her," He admitted. "But I can't find her anywhere," he exclaimed in frustration. "I never thought I would have so much trouble tracking someone down without a ki signature!" The android's power came from the sophisticated machinery implanted into them, not natural energy, making it impossible to sense.

"If you'd like I can help you search for her, Krillin," Dende offered, "I'll think of it as practice for locating a specific individual." Dende looked to Piccolo for permission; he nodded, and Dende smiled at him.

"Would you, really?! That'd be great, Dende," Krillin enthused. Gohan interrupted his moment with a comment.

"Before that, Dende, do you think you could fix us up?" Gohan motioned towards himself and Piccolo; still covered in injuries from their fight. He was used to enduring pain, but that didn't mean he liked it. Piccolo showed no indication that he felt anything, stoically enduring the pain.

"O-Of course, I can't believe I forgot. I'm very sorry," Dende apologized profusely.

"Don't worry about it, Dende. Thanks for the help," Gohan said as Dende placed his glowing hands over his chest, and began healing him. A minute later both Gohan and Piccolo were stretching the kinks out of their newly healed bodies. Gohan flared his white aura.

"Haha, I feel stronger than ever!" He exclaimed happily. Piccolo smiled fondly at him. Krillin muttered something about 'unfair saiyan biology'. Suddenly, Gohan shot at Krillin and lightly tapped his arm.

"TAG! You're it!" he yelled, and blasted away from the lookout.

"Wait, what!" Krillin wondered, then realization dawned, "OH NO HE DIDN'T!" Krillin chased after Gohan, determined to win the newly initiated game of 'Super Tag'. Their white auras drew intricate patterns over the landscape as Gohan continually avoided Krillin. His laughter and Krillin's frustrated shouts were carried up to the lookout by the wind.

* * *

A/N: that's another chapter taken care of. I _might_ be able to churn out one more chapter today, but it'll definitely be here tomorrow. Wish me luck!


	4. Chapter 4: New Brother

Chapter 4: New Brother

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball z

Edit: after reviewing the timeline, I realized Goten was born earlier than I thought. He was born year 767 (date unspecified); 9 months after the Cell games would be in year 768. Very minor change to the chapter, shouldn't affect the story at all. I literally just changed 9 months to 6.

Edit 2: I thought about it some more and realized the timeline makes no sense. If Goten was born at the end of December, then he would have been conceived around March. The Cell games took place May 26; two months after March, but Chichi gave no indications of being pregnant. I hate timelines :(

* * *

 **Son Residence, Mt. Paozu, 1 month after the Cell games**

Gohan awoke to the sounds of retching. He sat up and pushed his blanket off, revealing a white t-shirt and light blue boxers. He stood groggily to investigate the sound. His search led him to the opened door of the bathroom. His mother was kneeling before the toilet, pouring her guts out. She had managed to keep her nightgown clean despite her current predicament.

"MOM! What's wrong!" Gohan asked, now wide awake. He scrambled down next to her, and started rubbing her back in circles. She always did that for him when he was sick.

"Oh, good morning, Gohan," She greeted weakly, "I'm feeling a bit under the weather, but I'm sure I'll be fine," She got up, filled the cup on the sink with water, and washed out her mouth.

"Are you sure, Mom? What if you came down with something serious?" Gohan asked, brow creased in worry. She rubbed her thumb on his cheek.

"Yes, I'm sure, sweetie," she affirmed, "In fact, I'm feeling better already! I should get breakfast started, you've got a long day of studying ahead of you!" She reminded him.

Gohan groaned, the other day he had forgotten to do one of the worksheets she had given him and now she was working him to the bone. He only had two hours of free time each day; it was really starting to cut into his training. Not that he'd made much progress since his fight with Piccolo, but it _was_ only a week ago.

"I understand," he sighed, and went to get dressed.

* * *

 **Capsule Corporation, West City, 3 days later**

Chichi had been sick every morning. Gohan had finally convinced her to go see Bulma.

"Well, it's official Chichi... you're pregnant!" Gohan heard Bulma say. He was playing with little Trunks in his room, while his mother had a check-up with Bulma. Bulma wasn't a doctor, but she had all the necessary equipment and didn't charge an arm and a leg for a visit. Gohan stopped piling up blocks for Trunks to knock over. He picked Trunks up and left the room, entering the lounge where Bulma and Chichi were speaking.

"Is it true, Mom, are you really going to have a baby?" Gohan asked, still somewhat stunned. He began imagining what it might be like to have a sibling, and found he rather liked the idea. After all, playing with Trunks was fun; playing with his own sibling should be even more fun, right?

"Yes, you're going to have a little brother," Chichi said, smiling gently. She was overjoyed to be carrying a new life. She had always been a nurturer; happiest when someone needed her to take care of them. Gohan had grown up so fast, it seemed like he could get along fine without her.

 _"Gohan's been spending so much time away from home lately, I've been feeling pretty lonely. I even came up with an excuse about studying more, so he would stay home longer,"_ She sighed, _"But, I'm afraid I might be holding on too hard; he might start pulling away if he gets fed up with it."_ That's why she was so happy about this. Taking care of a Saiyan infant was hard work; enough to distract her from Goku's absence.

Gohan lifted Trunks in front of him and grinned, "You hear that Trunks? I'm gonna be a big brother!" Gohan exclaimed. They began to spin, Trunks laughing raucously. Bulma smiled at the sight.

 _"He'll be a good brother,"_ she thought.

"Gohan," Chichi called. He stopped spinning and turned to her expectantly, "Why don't you go back to Trunks' room and play while I finish talking to Bulma?" she suggested.

"Yeah, okay," he agreed, "Come on, Trunks, let's go play," he said to the baby, and trotted off towards his room.

That night, before Gohan fell asleep, his thoughts took a darker turn, _"My brother will never get to meet his dad, and it's my fault."_

* * *

 **Mt. Paozu, 3 months after the Cell games**

Gohan stood in his designated training clearing, deep in the woods surrounding his home. He wore a new outfit featuring a long-sleeve white shirt that fit well, but was loose enough to move in easily; red tracksuit pants, with the shirt tucked into them; and dark blue boots like his father would wear. He had stopped wearing his gi so his mother wouldn't think he was training.

Piccolo had created his new outfit, so it was quite heavy and very durable. Unfortunately, Piccolo couldn't create an outfit heavy enough to be useful for weight training. He looked up at the clear, sunny, morning sky.

"About time to get started," he said quietly, "HA!" he grunted, instantly powering up to his Maximum strength without transforming. His white aura pulsed around him, and the force of his ki flattened the grass around him. He dropped his aura, and held his hand in front of him; fingers extended like a knife. He focused his ki into his hand, and a flickering blue aura appeared at his upper forearm and extended until it covered his hand; then a foot beyond, ending in a point.

"That wasn't too hard," Gohan said, satisfied with his work. He moved the blade about, examining it from multiple angles. He swung it a few times with a *swish*, leaving streams of blue light. "It doesn't take much concentration to maintain, and the ki consumption is negligible compared to a Kamehameha," He swung it through a boulder; a line appeared and it split in two halves. "But this thing wouldn't scratch Cell," Though even if it did, he would simply regenerate.

Lately, Gohan had been contemplating ways he could defeat Cell without the power of the Super Saiyan 2 transformation. The biggest problem was his regenerative abilities; in order to defeat him you had to use enough power to completely annihilate him. His full power as a Super Saiyan didn't have enough energy. He believed the ki blade might help him solve that problem.

If he could cut Cell into pieces, he would be focused on regenerating his body. During this period Gohan could initiate a powerful ki blast to annihilate each piece while Cell was defenseless. Cell wasn't here to experiment on, so Gohan could only make guesses as to this strategy's effectiveness. There was also the fact that Cell was faster than his Super Saiyan transformation, so it wouldn't be easy to cut him; but that was a different problem that could be worked on separately. He looked back at the ki blade.

 _"It's a useful technique; simple to use, but effective. But, I want something more powerful and refined. A technique useful against opponents much stronger than me."_

He reflected on the methods with which the Z-fighters had dealt with stronger opponents in the past. His father sacrificed his life restraining Raditz, while Piccolo executed his Special Beam Cannon. Goku using the Kaioken to increase his strength against Vegeta. Goku transforming against Frieza and receiving a huge power boost. His own transformation against Cell, resulting in an even greater power boost.

 _"None of these methods can be relied upon. It seems the earth is only here because of luck."_ He couldn't expect to miraculously achieve a new transformation the next time a powerful enemy appeared. Countermeasures needed to be prepared well beforehand, otherwise more lives would be lost in the scramble to deal with the enemy. Gohan decided to forge this simple ki blade into a powerful weapon to protect the earth.

* * *

 **5 months after the Cell games**

Gohan dropped into the grounds of Capsule Corporation, and walked up to the intercom.

"Hello? Bulma are you there?" Gohan spoke into the device.

"Oh, is that you, Gohan? Please, come in dear!" a high-pitched cheerful voice responded. A few seconds later the door slid open, revealing Panchi. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but Gohan knew that couldn't be true, because she was Bulma's mother.

"Oh, Gohan, it is so nice to see you dear," she pulled him in for a hug, smushing his face into her chest.

"It's nice to see you, too, Mrs. Brief," he said politely, after he had extricated himself from her clutches, "I need to talk to Bulma, is she here?" he asked. She nodded and went off to get her.

* * *

"So, Gohan, what can I do for you?" she asked her oldest friend's son.

"Actually, could you promise to keep what I tell you a secret, first?" Gohan requested, holding his hands together in front of him. Bulma smirked,

"If this is about training when you told Chichi you wouldn't; I've been keeping that secret for a while," she informed him smugly. Gohan was appalled; his secret had been discovered, apparently some time ago.

"H-How did you know? Has mom found out?!" he began panicking. She poked his forehead.

"Calm down, silly. Didn't I just say I kept your secret?" she asked. Gohan nodded, she had definitely said that.

"Then how did you know?" he repeated, confused.

"Vegeta's been muttering about 'weakling half-breeds' at the same time everyday. Not difficult to figure out why."

 _"Of course, anyone who can sense ki should be able to tell when I train! I can't believe I overlooked that!"_ Gohan scolded himself. Bulma watched him with exasperation,

 _"This kid's too hard on himself; even_ I _make mistakes,"_ The genius admitted to herself.

"So… what favor did you want to ask, huh?" she nudged him with her elbow. Gohan snapped out of his thoughts.

"OH! I wanted a portable gravity chamber to train in. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, dad got a lot stronger after training in 100X gravity," Gohan explained his reason for coming here. He never did get a chance to train in a gravity chamber, so he was looking forward to the experience.

"Sure, you can have one of the spares I keep in case Vegeta breaks the main chamber!" she agreed. He broke the main chamber once a week, at least. She walked over to a drawer and pulled out a capsule, then tossed it to Gohan, "You'll need a wide, flat area to set that down. It goes up to 1000X gravity, at Vegeta's insistence. Be careful kid, you could hurt yourself if you turn the gravity too high." she instructed him in it's use.

"Got it, Bulma. I'll be careful. I promise," Gohan swore. He got ready to leave, but Bulma put a hand on his shoulder.

"Gohan, about your training… I think you should tell Chichi. She might take it better than you think, and I can tell that lying to her bothers you." she advised. Gohan bit his lip, but nodded.

"Alright.. But only after her pregnancy. She's so moody right now, there's no telling how she'd react." Gohan conceded. Bulma smiled indulgently,

"Sounds good to me. Go have fun with that gravity chamber, alright?" She gave him a light push out the door.

"I will, thanks for the help, Bulma. And the advice." Gohan smiled at her, then shot into the air. Bulma waved as he left.

* * *

 **8 months after the Cell games**

Gohan stood next to his mother's bed in the hospital. She held a small bundle in her arms. Gohan leaned over and pushed the cloth aside, revealing a tiny sleeping face.

"Hey there, Goten," He greeted his new brother.

* * *

A/N: Finally finished, that took longer than I expected. But I promised to get it out today, so here it is. My pace is going to be slower from here on. Expect 2 chapter per week, at least. I wish I could churn out a chapter a day, but I don't have the energy after 8 hours at work.

I tried to use a montage format for this chapter, as it was kind of a transition to the next arc focusing on Gohan's relationship with Goten. Tell me what you thought of it, please!


	5. Chapter 5: Vegeta's Decision

Chapter 5: Vegeta's Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

The gravity chamber was an incredible invention. A turn of the dial increased your weight a thousand fold. This wasn't the same as carrying 1000 times your weight on your back; it was an even force exerted on your body as a whole, even your internal organs. Gohan was currently straining under 150 G's, dressed in only a pair of shorts. He didn't want to drench his clothes in sweat.

"653, 654, 655," He counted, doing one-armed push-ups. He had taken Bulma's advice, and was slowly allowing himself to become accustomed to each gravity setting before increasing it. He didn't use it very much, often going a month without it. He thought this kind of training was best done in moderation. He felt himself struggling as he approached 700,

"Looks like I still need time to adjust to 150x gravity," He said, as he got up and trudged his way over to the controls, "Back to 1G for me," he rhymed, smiling at his cleverness. He turned the dial, and felt the immense pressure seep out of the room, the red lights turning back to bright white. Gohan walked over to the conveniently connected lounge room. It had a number of amenities, including: a bathroom, couch, fridge, and bed. Gohan definitely understood how Vegeta could spend so much time in here.

He took a shower and changed into his normal outfit, before hopping onto the couch. He looked at the remote controlling the various built-in gadgets.

" _I've been so busy training, I haven't even looked at all the stuff in here,"_ he thought. He picked up the remote and pressed a button at random. A wall panel facing the couch popped open and revealed a tv.

"Oh, cool!," he exclaimed, "We don't have one of these at home, maybe I can watch one of those soap operas Yamcha always talks about," He flipped through channels until he heard mention of 'Cell'. On screen a muscular man with dark skin and a large afro was speaking to a crowd. There was a banner below with his name and the location of the event.

"Hercule Satan," Gohan read, "Never heard of him. He sure seems important." He watched as Hercule started acting out a fight scene. He noticed that something about the man seemed familiar, but couldn't recall.

" _He's in Satan city; did they name the city after him?"_ Gohan wondered. What could he have done to deserve that?

" _...And that's how I defeated Cell,"_ Hercule announced, laughing boisterously with both hands on his hips after finishing his 're-enactment'.

"Wait, what?" Gohan didn't understand what the delusional man was talking about. As he watched, he gathered that this was the man who had challenged Cell, only to be defeated in an instant.

"I don't understand why he would claim to be the one to defeat Cell. Why would anyone want that amount of attention?" Gohan didn't really have a problem with having his credit stolen. He may have killed Cell, but he wasn't a hero. At the time, he had just wanted Cell to hurt; his rage gave rise to a new transformation and the power to defeat Cell, but it had also enhanced his saiyan instincts. Gohan shuddered as he remembered how sadistic he had been after transforming.

" _I made the right decision,"_ he reaffirmed to himself, _"The power could be useful, but if I can't even control my own actions, I'll only be a danger to those around me,"_ He changed the channel, looking for something to take his mind off his thoughts.

He found just that, in a most unexpected fashion. A commercial for shampoo was playing, and the actress was immediately recognizable. She wore an elegant bathrobe, and the commercial seemed to consist of multiple shots of her flipping her hair. Gohan noticed the room had become warmer and checked the thermostat.

" _Strange, the temperature hasn't changed,"_ He thought, _"I must have been training too hard,"_ he concluded.

"Still, it's hard to believe," He commented, "18 on tv is something I never imagined," He wondered at the events that had to take place for this to happen. In Future Trunks' timeline, she was a mass murderer with power unequalled, except by her twin. Even his future self was unable to defeat the android duo. Yet here she was, taking an effort to integrate into society. Gohan couldn't help but feel a little proud of her. If only every threat to the earth could be solved by befriending the enemy. Gohan suddenly wondered if Krillin had ever found her. Dende had promised to help, so he likely did.

"Does Krillin know about her new career?" he wondered aloud, "I should tell him about it next time I see him, just in case." He decided. He looked at the clock,

"Oh no! If I don't get home quick Goten will eat all my food!" Goten was a year old now and sucked up food like a black hole. Gohan rushed out of the building and pressed the button to capsulize it. A great puff of smoke and a loud boom followed by the sound of a thumb-sized capsule hitting the ground. Gohan took to the air.

" _The worst part is that mom will let him, and call it a punishment for being late!"_

* * *

Vegeta collapsed to the floor of the gravity chamber, the last vestiges of a golden aura fading. His spandex in tatters, armor covered in smoking holes. He struggled to breathe under the oppressive gravity that he hadn't managed to turn off before collapsing.

 _"I don't understand,"_ He thought. His tone lacked it's usual arrogance. _"Why can I not ascend? I have trained with only that goal in mind for over a year, pushing my body beyond it's limits again and again. Why is that not enough?"_ He lamented. What had the half-breed done that Vegeta hadn't. Vegeta had long since swallowed his pride and adopted Goku's method to master the super saiyan transformation. He knew he trained harder than the brat, yet none of his efforts resulted in the thing he most wanted.

 _"At this point, I might as well throw my pride away entirely and just ask the brat how he did it,"_ he sighed, feeling defeated. Every time Gohan trained, Vegeta could feel the increase in his power. It shamed him to admit it, but even without super saiyan 2 Gohan was stronger than him. Not only that, but his strength was increasing faster than Vegeta's own. Vegeta struggled to raise a fist, then brought down hard onto the floor; shattering a tile.

"DAMMIT! I cannot accept this!" he spat, "I will not lower myself to asking that imbecile's son for advice!" he raged, "The Prince of Saiyans does not ask for help from his lessers!" He leapt to his feet and transformed violently using the last of his energy, powering up to his very limit.

 _"I'm so close,"_ he exulted, _"I can feel the barrier to the next level; ultimate power lies just beyond. If only I could reach it!"_ Vegeta felt his power tearing at his body, on the verge of collapse.

"NO! Not yet. I can still go on!" he screamed, struggling to maintain his aura. Alas, he failed, and blacked out.

* * *

Vegeta awoke to familiar beeping and white ceiling, belying his current location.

 _"Blasted earthling medical technology,"_ he thought, noting he had been out for half a day, _"a regeneration tank could have fixed me up in two hours."_ Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to get his hands on one; else the woman would have been able to reproduce the technology.

 _"Hell, she might improve upon it,"_ he conceded. No matter how annoying she might be, he had to admit she was a genius.

"Oh, Vegeta you're awake! How are you feeling?" A concerned voice asked from the doorway. Vegeta turned his head to see Bulma walking towards him.

"I'm fine," he growled, dismissively.

"Oh, I'm so glad! I'd hate to do this if you were seriously injured!" she said cheerfully before she smacked him on the head, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING, HUH? DO YOU HAVE A DEATHWISH! TRAINING UNTIL YOU'RE HALF DEAD IS NOT WHAT THE GRAVITY CHAMBER IS FOR!" she ranted, infuriated by Vegeta's reckless behavior. Vegeta had tuned her out after the first sentence.

 _"I need to find out how to ascend; there must be some kind of key… or trigger,"_ he thought. He recalled Gohan's transformation, and the reason. Cell had destroyed the disembodied head of the ginger android, and the brat was so upset he transformed.

 _"That doesn't make any sense. Why did he even care about that tin box? He barely even knew it!"_ Vegeta could understand how loss became anger became transformation. Goku had achieved the first transformation from the loss of Krillin. However, Vegeta's transformation wasn't like that. He had transformed after letting go of the desire to transform. A spark of realization flashed in his eyes.

 _"Perhaps the trigger for transformation is different for everyone? Last time I let go of my desire to transform, perhaps I must let go of something else?"_ He pondered what he might let go of, and only came up with one thing important enough.

 _"It can't be. My pride is everything I have left. How could I possibly let it go?"_ But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Nothing meant more to him than his pride, and the loss of it would hold great meaning.

"It comes back to loss, doesn't it," he muttered.

"What was that?! If you have something to say for yourself, then speak up mister!" Bulma interrupted his thoughts. He had honestly forgotten she was there, though she always managed to intrude upon his thoughts eventually.

"Well?" She waited expectantly. He looked up at her, and made up his mind.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. _Sincerely_ apologized. Bulma was taken aback.

"Oh… I see," she spoke, in awe at this sudden change. She quickly regained her composure, "If that's so, then you'll stay in bed until you're fully healed, understand?"

"Yes. I.. understand," he uttered with some difficulty. He did not want to stay in this bed for a week, but he knew she would demand he do so. He had already decided to forsake his pride, so he might as well humor her. Bulma's shock returned, and she stared at him for a while. Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.

"Thank you, Vegeta," she whispered, "I worry about you, you know," she admitted, "All you ever do is train and hurt yourself. I'm glad you're finally listening to reason."

Vegeta was shocked and embarrassed by the display of affection. He watched as she left the room, a skip in her step.

"I will never understand women," he sighed.

* * *

A/N: I bet you guys weren't expecting another chapter this week. Well rejoice! I have nothing better to do with my free time than write. You'll notice Goten was not in this chapter; I've decided to wait until he is a bit older before giving him more attention, though there will be a few scenes with him before then.

So, Vegeta decides to abandon his pride. What new developments might come of this? How will it affect Gohan? Why am I asking questions I already know the answer to?


	6. Chapter 6: Dende's Announcement

Chapter 6: Dende's Announcement

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Dende breathed in the morning air as he stood at the edge of the Lookout. The sky was clear and bright, the wind gentle, and the earth below was (relatively) peaceful. He closed his eyes and scanned the world for signs of any threat to the planet. Piccolo had insisted he do this daily, reminding him that Cell had been on this planet for years before he really began to move. Just because things were peaceful now didn't mean he could let his guard down.

Dende had grown a bit in the nearly two years since Gohan's fight with Piccolo. He was a few inches taller, and his voice was slightly deeper. But the most apparent change was his demeanor. He was no longer the frightened child that cowered while his race was decimated by invaders. His training in the use of his new powers had given him a confidence he never had before.

 _"If I remember correctly, Gohan should be coming to train with Piccolo today,"_ He thought, trying to jog his memory. Out of all the z-fighters, besides Piccolo, Gohan visited the lookout most. He and Dende would often play board games or solve puzzles when Gohan wasn't training.

"I hope he gets here soon," Dende spoke to himself, "I finally worked out that deal with King Yemma. Gohan's gonna flip when I tell him about it." Dende chuckled as he imagined what expression Gohan would have.

* * *

Gohan awoke to the sight of a monkey trying to climb onto his bed. No, it wasn't a monkey; it was a little half-saiyan. Which was almost the same as a monkey. Goten didn't seem to be having any luck in his endeavor.

"Good morning, Goten," Gohan greeted his little brother, sleepily. The one-year-old stopped climbing and raised his arms at Gohan.

"Go'an, up!" He demanded. Gohan yawned and lay back down,

"Are you asking for help up, or for me to get up?" he asked lazily, head laying on his arm.

"UP!" Goten repeated, not understanding Gohan's question. Gohan gave in and stood up, simultaneously swooping Goten into the air. "You ready for breakfast, Goten?"

"Yayyy!" Goten cheered, he knew what 'breakfast' meant. They walked into the kitchen, laying eyes on a feast fit for 10 kings... or one Son family.

* * *

Chichi watched as her two darling boys wolfed down the breakfast she had slaved over. Well, one darling boy and one delinquent-in-training.

 _"Training. Oh, how I hate that word!"_ Not long after Goten was born, Gohan had approached her about his 'extracurricular activities'.

 _"I still can't believe my baby lied to me! This must be that lousy Piccolo's influence"_ she grated. Gohan was looking at her with concern, so she schooled her features back to a calm demeanor.

 _"I can't believe I allowed him to continue! Although, he did put up some compelling arguments."_ Such as: 'Dad passed this responsibility down to me', 'If I don't train, Vegeta will become stronger than me. Do you really want the fate of the world to rest in his hands?', and 'I've been training since the Cell games ended, yet my studies haven't suffered.'

In the face of this onslaught of rationality, she couldn't continue being unreasonable. She had little choice but to concede. She was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of dishes being scrubbed.

 _"He's such a thoughtful boy. Even when he lied to me, it was to spare my feelings. If he really feels the need to continue training, then I can't stop him."_ She looked at her other son, playing with his spoon like an airplane.

 _"Gohan was forced to fight for the safety of the planet from a young age. That may be why he feels it's his responsibility to continue doing so. But I won't let that happen to Goten! He will have a normal life and become a responsible adult! He can train if he wants, but NO FIGHTING!"_

* * *

Gohan stood across from Piccolo in the same wasteland as their last fight. Both were dressed in purple gi's.

"Alright, Mr. Piccolo, I'm ready to start," Gohan prompted. Piccolo nodded and focused his telekinetic abilities; lifting several boulders into the air. Gohan readied his improved ki blade, and planted his feet in the earth. Piccolo sent one boulder forth at blinding speed. There was a blue flash and two halves of the boulder plowed into the ground behind Gohan.

 _"Not bad, kid"_ Piccolo thought, "Let's see how you deal with a couple more!" He yelled, sending several boulders flying at once.

Gohan prepared himself, maintaining his improved ki blade took much more concentration. In return, it had become more powerful; even manifesting a physical form, transparent like glass hidden within the flickering blue aura.

He executed a series of quick slashes and parries to knock the boulders away from him. Each attack cost him a bit of his focus and the blade began to lose form. The blade wouldn't last long enough to destroy each remaining boulder individually, so he focused his ki into the flickering blade and swung wide.

"Ha!" He screamed. A crescent blade emerged and destroyed the rest of the boulders flying at him, as well as carving a long line into the ground. The ki around his hand dispersed, revealing slightly red skin.

"Damn, manifesting a blade requires such concentrated ki that it burns my hand," Gohan complained. His improved blade still had a number of drawbacks that needed to be worked through. He could only use it for a short time, it required strong concentration, once it was formed he couldn't extend the blade, and it inflicted burns on his hand.

"Don't worry too much, Gohan" Piccolo advised, "A truly powerful technique takes time to create. I spent years developing the Special Beam Cannon, and I still put in some effort to improve it. The kamehameha that you like so much took Roshi 50 years to develop. So don't get discouraged." Gohan nodded in assent,

" _I understand what Piccolo means. My ki blade still has a long way to go before being complete."_ He analyzed the blade's earlier performance, _"I can't help but think it's a bit hard to handle compared to a real sword,"_ Gohan remembered his wilderness survival training shortly after being kidnapped by Piccolo. Gohan had made frequent use of the sword Piccolo gave him, becoming quite skilled with it.

" _If only I could create a ki sword!"_ Gohan had tried it before but the energy required to manifest such a sword was more than he could handle, even as a super saiyan.

"Alright, Gohan, training is over. Let's go see Dende," Piccolo announced. Gohan nodded and followed as Piccolo headed to the lookout.

* * *

Gohan finished the lunch Mr. Popo had made for him. As both the other residents of the lookout were Namekian, and therefore didn't need to eat, Mr. Popo only got to cook when Gohan visited. Gohan looked at Dende, who seemed unable to sit still.

 _"What's got him so excited?"_ He wondered. He wiped his mouth and began to stand up when Dende spoke,

"Gohan, Piccolo, I have an announcement to make," he said with a grin. He took in the questioning looks on their faces. He couldn't stop imagining Gohan's shock when he told him.

"Get on with it, Dende," Piccolo prodded.

"Right! Sorry," he grimaced. Then straightened and cleared his throat, "For the last couple of months, I have been in negotiations with King Yemma. We have recently come into agreement, and I think you would both be interested to know that I now possess three visitor's passes to otherworld!" He announced gleefully.

Piccolo raised a brow, likely the extent of surprise he would show. Gohan, on the other hand, was speechless. He sat and gaped at the tickets now resting in Dende's hand.

"I want to give them to you, Gohan. Now you can take your family to visit Goku!" He stated cheerfully. Gohan slowly stood and received the three slips. He stared at them with eyes like saucers.

"Dende… I don't know what to say," he said quietly, "How can I ever repay you?" he asked, looking up from the tickets. Dende smiled,

"How about 'Thanks Dende, I gladly accept this gift'," Dende suggested, "You don't need to repay me; you're my best friend and your father saved my people from Frieza. This is the least I could do to show my appreciation." Piccolo smiled at the scene before him. It was good to have students that got along. Gohan gave Dende a crushing hug.

"AAH! Gohan, too much strength," Dende squeaked. Gohan released Dende and thanked him again,

"Really Dende, this is the best gift I've ever received!" Gohan said excitedly, "I can't wait to tell mom!"

"I should mention that the visitation date is two years from now," Dende added, "That was the best I could get," he admitted. Gohan took a look at the ticket and noticed that it was indeed dated two years from now. He smiled,

"That's ok, Dende. Goten's too young to really understand the significance of this kind of visit. He'll appreciate it more in a few years. Besides dad probably spends all his time on King Kai's planet, so mom'll need to train and get accustomed to 10X gravity." He knew Goten would be fine; Saiyans were born able to withstand that kind of gravity.

"I need to go tell mom! She'll be so happy!" Gohan realized, "Sorry Dende, I'll see you later!"

* * *

Gohan was meditating in the gravity chamber. Chichi and Goten were there, too. The gravity had been set at 2G's, mostly for Chichi's sake. She was performing kata's to accustom herself to the strain of exercise under increased gravity. Goten waddled around chasing after a ball, though he moved a bit slower than usual.

 _"It's been almost two years since dad died, he's probably been training constantly. I wonder how strong he's become?"_ Gohan thought, _"I'll have to train even harder; to show him that entrusting the earth to me was the right decision!"_ He decided. He considered his latest idea to gain further control over the Super Saiyan transformation.

 _"Flash transformation: The ability to ascend mid-attack and revert after landing it. If I could achieve that, it would be like having the power of a super saiyan at all times."_ Despite the control he had over his transformation; he still couldn't use it like that. Staying in base form would conserve energy and cause opponents to underestimate him. The sudden spikes of power when transformed would disorient them. Not to mention that it would help him train his ki control.

Goten stopped chasing his ball and watched as Gohan's hair flickered between black and gold. He tried to copy him, to no effect. Eventually he got bored and continued chasing the ball around.

* * *

Vegeta paced in the hospital room, having just recovered fully. He had spent the week healing as promised, no matter how it irked him. Now he was agonizing over a decision he had made.

 _"This is the entire reason for forsaking my pride, so why do I hesitate?"_ He asked himself. _"If I can ascend, it will be well worth it!"_ He assured himself. But still, he didn't want to do this. Not long ago he would have refused to consider it.

 _"It has become clear that transforming is most likely to happen in battle. The br- no, Gohan- is the only one capable of challenging me. I simply have to ask him to fight me! Something so simple should not be so hard!"_ Vegeta had decided to throw away his pride, but doing so wasn't easy. His pride was such a major component of his personality, he didn't know how to behave without it. He couldn't stand the prospect of acting like that idiot, Kakarot.

"DAMMIT! I am a warrior, a Saiyan, a prince; what is there to hesitate about?!" he raged. Suddenly, he left the building and flew towards Gohan's ki signature.

* * *

A/N: a scene or two with Goten, Chichi's feelings about training, Dende's gift, and Vegeta's struggle with pride. There should be a real fight scene next chapter, so anticipate it!


	7. Chapter 7: A New Room

Chapter 7: A New Room?

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: First chapter of the week! That means you get at least one more this week. Though, last week saw 6 chapters, so chances are there will be more this week as well. I want to thank everyone who left a review, I really appreciate those. Especially the ones telling me how awesome my story is; makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

* * *

Gohan ran towards Piccolo, dodging a volley of ki blasts. He sent out a series of lightning fast blows that Piccolo blocked. A feint followed by a leg sweep took Piccolo's legs out from under him; he responded by blasting the ground, preventing his fall and sending dust into the air.

Gohan cast his senses out and discovered Piccolo was above him. He sent a blast of ki straight up and followed it closely. Piccolo deflected the blast but took a heavy blow to the chin, sending him flying higher into the air. Piccolo stabilized himself and shot at Gohan, initiating a high-speed exchange. Gohan was knocked back, and Piccolo chased, but he shot a few _Stingrays_ ; forcing Piccolo to dodge. They both settled on the ground and caught their breath.

 _"Gohan really has improved. He's giving me this much trouble in his base form. If he transformed I wouldn't be able to keep up!"_ Piccolo thought. He was proud of his student's strength, but it stung to be so much weaker, _"My base form is more powerful than his, but he makes use of creative tactics to even the field."_ Gohan suddenly shot towards him, glowing blue fist ready to loose, _"That's the technique he used against me two years ago!"_ Piccolo recalled the devastation it caused.

 _"As long as I don't come into contact with the ki, I should be able to counter it."_ Piccolo thought. He stepped in, preparing to parry Gohan's forearm, _"He's expecting me to dodge, and create an opening for his next attack"_ He surmised.

Gohan was taken by surprise when his arm was caught by Piccolo, preventing it from connecting. Before he could react, Piccolo's other hand grabbed his face and tossed him into the ground. The ki concentrated in his fist exploded when he hit the ground and lost concentration.

"Aaah!" He grunted. He held his now bleeding hand against his chest. He didn't have long to stem the bleeding, for Piccolo hadn't let up. Gohan dodged backwards from Piccolo's melee assault.

"Wait! Piccolo! I'm injured," Gohan pleaded.

"Deal with it!" Piccolo responded, "You won't always have full use of your body. Learn to fight at a disadvantage!" He punctuated it with a heavy kick to the ribs. Gohan grunted in pain, but held his ground. His eyes became serious.

"Alright! You asked for it!" He powered up and waited for Piccolo's next attack.

" _Not going to transform, kid? That's a mistake!"_ Piccolo appeared before Gohan; ready to end the spar, and realized his mistake. Just before his attack landed, Gohan's eyes flashed blue, hair gold and his good fist shot forward in a blur; sending Piccolo sprawling across the battlefield. _"I can't believe the speed of that transformation!"_ He thought incredulously. He smashed into the ground, and knew he was done. That last blow had rattled his brain, and he couldn't concentrate. He slowly pushed his way out of the rubble, coughing at the dust filling his lungs.

Gohan dropped out of the air in front of Piccolo, offering his good arm for support,

"Come on, let's get patched up." He grinned. Piccolo grunted in agreement.

* * *

Vegeta followed Gohan's ki signature, eventually leading to a valley near Mt. Paozu. Vegeta didn't have to search for him, because Gohan took to the air to meet him. Vegeta stopped and waited for him to approach. Gohan stopped a few meters away, a curious expression on his face. They stared at each other, neither willing to initiate the conversation.

 _"Alright, I'm here; he's here. Now, how do you politely ask someone to place themselves in mortal danger for your own benefit?"_ he wondered. He had decided not to simply attack Gohan. Therefore, he had no choice but to ask for a fight.

Gohan couldn't take the silence any longer and spoke.

"So… Vegeta. Why are you here?" he asked, scratching his head in confusion.

 _"This arrogant brat!"_ Vegeta fumed, _"His Prince deigns to visit, and he has the audacity to ask why!"_ Immediately after he realized what a prideful sentiment that was, _"Dammit, this is harder than I thought,"_ he griped. He calmed down and tried to formulate a _polite_ answer.

"I… have a… request br- Gohan," He tried to smile, but snarled instead. Gohan seemed surprised at his choice of words.

 _"I don't think Vegeta has_ ever _called me by name! Something serious must have happened!"_ He considered what might cause Vegeta to act like this. His eyes widened as he thought of a possibility.

 _"Is it Bulma? Did something happen to her? But what could happen that would cause Vegeta to come looking for_ me _?"_ he puzzled, _"Don't tell me she died? Does he need the four-star ball?"_ Before he could start panicking, Vegeta answered his question.

"I want you… to… _help_ me," he ground out. Saying that physically hurt, "I'm close to ascending, but I feel that it can only be reached during battle. You are the only one worth fighting on this planet. I want you to attack me with everything you have, push me until I have no choice but to transform. Do you accept?" Vegeta finished his explanation.

Gohan took a moment to consider Vegeta's request. On one hand, a more powerful Vegeta could be a very bad thing. Gohan knew what the transformation did to you; or rather, he knew what it did to him.

 _"How would Vegeta handle the sudden power increase? The heightened aggression, the arrogance?"_ He paused, _"Actually, Vegeta is always like that, so maybe he's better equipped for the transformation than I was."_ Gohan was leaning towards 'yes'; Vegeta was almost behaving humbly. If he rebuffed him here, he would likely lash out in anger. Besides, it might be useful to have Vegeta owe him one. Gohan nodded,

"Alright, but not here," He acceded, "This place is too close to home," He explained. He put his hand on his chin and thought for a while. "Aha! I know just the place, follow me!" He took off in a seemingly random direction.

As Gohan flew, Vegeta trailing behind, he contacted Piccolo telepathically.

 _"Hey, Piccolo, it's Gohan!"_ He communicated the thought cheerfully, _"Vegeta and I are going to have a little spar, and I was wondering if Dende made that new room we asked about?"_

 _"Kid, you are literally the only person who ever contacts me telepathically. Who else was I supposed to think it was?"_ He asked gruffly, _"But yeah, a separate dimension like the Time Chamber. I'll tell you more once you get here."_ He ended the telepathic link.

* * *

Gohan and Vegeta closed in on the Lookout. Gohan saw Dende and Piccolo standing outside the building, waiting for them. They dropped to the white tiles. Gohan greeted both of them; Vegeta grunted in acknowledgement.

"I hear you two wish to make use of the room I created?" Dende asked for confirmation. Gohan nodded.

"Then allow me to explain how it works as I take you to it," Dende continued, unusually serious. Guiding the residents of the planet in the use of the various facilities on the lookout was one of his duties as the guardian and he took it very seriously.

"I created this room as a place for very powerful fighters, such as yourselves, to freely use their powers without fear of damaging the planet. This room is unique in that the environment can be destroyed, but regenerate over time. This makes it quite suitable for destructive battles. As it does not dilate time, you are free to enter as many times as you like. There is no limit on the number of people that can enter at once." He explained as they passed through white-walled halls. After many twists and turns they finally arrived at a nondescript door.

Dende led them inside, arriving in a large circular room with a door on the other side. The room was completely bare with whitewashed walls and tile floors. Dende blushed,

"This room isn't done yet, so bear with me," he admitted, "I assure you the outside is much more impressive!" Dende pled. He regained his composure and gestured to Gohan, "Why don't you do the honors?" He said, pointing at the unopened door. Gohan nodded and stepped in front of the plain door. He reached his hand out…

"AHH! I totally forgot!" Gohan agonized, "I left my gi at home!" Piccolo facepalmed, Vegeta stumbled, Dende chuckled.

"Piccolo, could you make me a new one? Please?" Gohan pleaded, hands held together in supplication. Piccolo sighed,

"I'm not a tailor," he muttered quietly, "Fine, any requests?"

"Hmm, how about white long-sleeve undershirt, light blue sleeveless gi top, red cloth belt, black gi bottom, and light blue boots!" He ticked off each item with his fingers. Piccolo sighed again,

 _"I didn't expect he would actually have a request,"_ He concentrated and created the outfit Gohan had described.

"Ahaha, that tickles," Gohan laughed as the glowing particles of light washed over him, resulting in a new outfit. "Oh, wow, this is really comfy!" Gohan enthused. He began stretching and performing odd movements to test the range of motion it afforded him. Vegeta snapped,

"Could you stop wasting all our time! …please?" At the last minute he remembered he was _trying_ to be more polite. Gohan smiled infuriatingly at him and nodded,

"Sure thing, Vegeta" He reached for the door knob, "Without any further ado," He said, making them wait longer, "I present the room of… of…" _"Dende, what is this room called?"_ he whispered. Dende blushed, _"I haven't named it yet!"_ he whispered back.

"I present the location of our battle!" Gohan smoothed over, smile slightly strained. Vegeta was not amused, though Piccolo at least seemed indifferent. The door swung open revealing an endless desert miles beneath the floating platform they stood upon. Gohan walked to the edge and looked down. There was golden sand as far as the eye could see. More interesting were the floating island sized rocks that littered the sky, casting giant shadows on the desert below.

"This is… AMAZING!" Gohan gasped, "It's totally different from the Time Chamber!" he exclaimed. Even Piccolo seemed impressed.

Dende scratched his nose, "Well! I did put in a little bit of effort when I made it," He said, falsely modest. Vegeta stepped off the platform and dropped to the ground.

"I guess Vegeta is feeling impatient," Gohan commented. He descended as well; Piccolo and Dende followed. Vegeta watched as they landed, covered in the shadow from a floating island,

"The Namekians are staying to watch? Good, my ascension deserves an audience!" Vegeta said, forgetting about his supposed humility. Piccolo tilted his head and smiled evilly,

"As if I would miss the chance to see the Saiyan Prince get his ass handed to him in a real fight!" He said. Vegeta's teeth grit and fists clenched,

 _"He's mocking me!"_ he thought, irate. Gohan stood facing Vegeta; he cleared his throat to gain attention.

"Alright, since there's nothing else to do first, let's start the battle!" He declared.

* * *

A/N: So a fight scene this chapter and another next chapter, I'm spoiling you guys. I have big plans for the following fight so look forward to that! How did you guys like the new room?


	8. Chapter 8: Battle To Ascend

Chapter 8: Battle To Ascend

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

"HAAA!" Vegeta transformed, going all out. Gohan powered up, but stayed in base form.

 _"This brat! Underestimating me!"_ Now that battle was imminent, Vegeta's pride made a resurgence. _"I'LL TEACH YOU TO LOOK DOWN ON ME!"_ He charged at Gohan, intent on smashing his face in. His fist made contact with Gohan's face, then continued through.

 _"What?!"_ then realization dawned, _"Afterimage!"_ he discerned. Sand burst up behind him, and he felt a blow to the back of his ribs, "Uuungh!" he grunted.

 _"He disappeared, then hid under the sand?!"_ The last time Vegeta had seen Gohan fight was against Cell, _"His fighting style has completely changed! What happened to fighting an opponent head on!"_ He grated.

* * *

Gohan smirked at Vegeta's consternation, _"Plan 'Piss Vegeta off so he transforms' is going well,"_ He had thought it up pretty quickly on the way to the lookout. Simply put, a super saiyan transformation required anger; so, make Vegeta angry and he'll be more likely to transform. To that effect, he had maintained his base form, something that would likely insult Vegeta.

 _"Now we move on to the taunting phase,"_ he thought. Vegeta had recovered and was charging towards him. This time more wary of tricks.

"You fell for that trick pretty easy, Vegeta, did all that training make you stupid?" He mocked. Vegeta's fist struck the ground where Gohan had been. Gohan was making use of _Flash Transformation_ for short bursts of speed, otherwise he wouldn't be able to dodge Vegeta's super saiyan speed. Vegeta's teeth grit; he kept chasing Gohan, cratering the ground where he missed.

 _"HOW! WHY CAN'T I HIT HIM!"_ he mentally roared. His movements became sloppy as he attacked over and over. "HAA! HA!" he yelled, not noticing the flashes of gold in Gohan's aura every time he dodged. "STAY STILL, DAMMIT!"

"Are you gonna get serious, soon? I'm kinda getting bored," Gohan asked, buffing his nails on his new gi. Truthfully, Gohan was struggling to use _Flash Transformation_ over and over. It's wasn't a simple technique, and he hadn't completely mastered it.

Vegeta's rage boiled over, "DAMMIT! I'LL KILL YOU! NO ONE INSULTS ME LIKE THAT!" His aura burst out and his muscles bulged. This was his Super Vegeta transformation. He stretched out his arms and concentrated immense ki into them.

"FINAL FLASH!" He screamed. Gohan transformed for real this time, and put his arms in front of him. Vegeta placed his arms together and fired the intense ki, "HAAAA!"

The blast met Gohan's hands and stopped, pushing Gohan back a few feet. However it was unable to proceed. Gohan was only struggling slightly, he positioned his feet more solidly and heaved his arms upwards with a grunt. The blast followed and flew upwards piercing through the island above, causing it to explode in a massive blast. The shockwave kicked up sand for miles. Gohan brushed off his smoking hands.

"Is that all you've got, Vegeta?" he goaded. Vegeta's muscles returned to normal, and he smirked.

"No. Though, it seems I've forced you to transform. Are you finally going to give me a real fight?" he taunted back. Gohan nodded, releasing his full power. Vegeta smiled, battlelust surging to the fore. They exploded together, their clash annihilating dunes and kicking up huge amounts of sand. At this point neither could see, and relied entirely on ki sense to fight.

Invisible clashes occurred again and again, changing the shape of the desert. Within their high-speed battle Gohan was landing many more hits. His training with _Flash Transformation_ gave him the ability to instantly spike his ki, making it impossible for Vegeta to tell which attacks could be blocked and which needed to be dodged.

Their clash began to rise into the air, every exchange created a bubble of clean air in the giant sand cloud they were fighting in. At this speed there was no time to charge up a special attack, so both relied entirely on melee. Eventually, they rose above the sand cloud and found themselves among the floating islands. Vegeta broke off, sending ki blasts behind to slow down pursuit.

" _Damn, what kind of stamina does he have?"_ Vegeta was panting, the exchange had taken a lot of energy to maintain. He kept on guard for a surprise attack, but Gohan didn't seem to be near. _"I can't believe he's improved this much! He's just been toying with me!"_ He had felt confident after forcing Gohan to transform, but it seems it was misplaced. _"NO! This is a good thing. I need this kind of challenge to ascend!"_ He reminded himself.

* * *

Gohan floated through a mess of craggy, floating islands.

 _"Where did Vegeta go? I can sense his ki, but these rocks are like a maze."_ He stopped and placed a hand on his chin, _"Should I just blast through them?"_ he considered. Before he could decide the rock next to him split apart, revealing a large purple beam of energy. Gohan was caught off guard and only had the time to block. His arms crossed in front of him, the ki began to burn away his sleeves.

"Ah, man! This is brand new!" He complained. He positioned himself so that one hand rested on the blast, holding it back. The other was held behind him as ki swirled around it, forming a blade. He lifted his arm and brought it down quickly, sending a crescent blade of ki cutting it's way up the beam to it's source.

Vegeta dodged the blade and began firing a volley of ki blasts. Gohan danced about the rubble of the floating island, dodging behind cover before it was destroyed. He waited, out of sight, until Vegeta ran out of steam; then fired a _Stingray_ , grazing his thigh. Vegeta responded with a quick kiai; crushing the rock Gohan hid behind.

 _"Time for the next phase: mortal danger,"_ Gohan thought. In order to ensure Vegeta's transformation, he needed to corner him. Force him into a situation where he either transformed or died.

 _"Vegeta made this request of me knowing he might die trying. It would be an insult if I didn't put in all my effort, even if it ends up killing him. I can't hold back anymore!"_ Gohan resolved himself. He waited for the dust to clear. Vegeta seemed to sense the change in atmosphere and halted his attack.

"Vegeta! From this point on it will be a real life-or-death battle. One slip and you will die." Gohan warned him. Vegeta crossed his arms and snorted,

"Finally, I thought you were trying to bore me to death!" He scoffed. They seemed to come to a mental agreement and landed on an intact island. Vegeta took his stance while Gohan stretched a bit. Gohan took his own stance and they stared at each other, as if waiting for some unknown signal.

* * *

"They sure seem serious about a simple spar," Dende commented, watching them land on the island, "Piccolo, did they tell you what this spar is about?" he asked. Piccolo nodded,

"Gohan told me telepathically on his way to the lookout. They intend to force Vegeta to ascend by placing him in mortal danger," Piccolo calmly explained. Dende's face morphed with confusion and shock.

"AND YOU'RE GOING TO LET THEM BEAT EACH OTHER TO DEATH?" Dende asked hysterically, waving his arms in the air. Piccolo looked at him stoically,

"Gohan is a warrior; he has proven it many times over. He accepted this fight knowing the possible consequences. How can I interfere?" He challenged.

 _"Gohan, I've trained you from a young age; watched you grow into a warrior with strength, resolve, and confidence. Whatever happens here, I'll always be proud of you."_ Piccolo thought silently.

* * *

Gohan and Vegeta locked hands in a struggle of pure strength. Gohan was covered in burns and bruises, a particularly nasty bruise on his cheek. Vegeta was covered in cuts, courtesy of Gohan's ki blade. The larger ones were still bleeding. Both their aura's flared as they tried to overpower the other, though Vegeta seemed to be winning the struggle. His aura began to spark with electricity.

 _"Yes! I can feel the barrier to the next level!"_ He exulted, _"I only need another push, and I'll reach it!"_ He tilted his head back, then slammed it forward; smashing into Gohan's.

"Auugh!" Gohan recoiled. A knee to the chest knocked him into the desert floor. Vegeta took this opportunity to gloat.

"HAHA! Where did all that bluster go, brat!" Vegeta whooped, "I'm nearly to the breaking point, only a short step to the pinnacle of Saiyan power! Ahahaha!" He raised his head and laughed at the sky. The dust cloud from Gohan's landing lit up with blue energy,

"HAAAA!" Gohan finished his Kamehameha. The wave of energy hurtled towards Vegeta, who eyed it with dissatisfaction.

 _"He already used up his energy in the last struggle. What does he expect an underpowered Kamehameha to do?"_ he derided. He stuck out one hand, deciding to prove how outmatched Gohan was. Suddenly, Gohan's ki spiked and energized the beam. It now had half the power of the attack that killed Cell. Vegeta's eyes widened and he quickly placed his other hand in front of the blast.

 _"He lost that struggle on purpose! It was a ploy to lower my guard!"_ He couldn't believe his own foolishness. Gohan had repeatedly used these kinds of mind games, and yet he still fell for them. He grunted heavily as the blast slammed into his outstretched palms.

 _"I need more power! If I can't deflect this I will die!"_ He pulled out all his ki, every last drop he had access to. It wasn't enough; he could feel heat seep through his fire-proof gloves, cooking the hands inside. He was sweating profusely from the immense exertion.

 _"I can't hold on! Is this… the end?"_ He despaired. Blue hair flashed before his eyes,

 _"Bulma!"_ he yelled, mentally. Then it was a child with lavender hair, _"Trunks, my son!"_ Tears gathered in his eyes.

 _"No! I can't let it end here! I WON'T!"_ Power welled up within him, and he sent a powerful kiai; halting the blast's momentum. It bought him time to pull his fist back, shrouded in lightning and golden aura. It met the blast with a massive shockwave, sending it down to the desert where it carved out a wide canyon.

Vegeta floated in the air, panting. He basked in his overflowing energy.

 _"What power! I've never felt so strong!"_ He exulted.

"HAAA!" He flared his crackling aura, then grinned, "HAHAHA! I've done it! I have finally achieved it! The pinnacle of strength!" He rejoiced.

Gohan sat on the desert floor in base form, gasping for breath. He watched Vegeta's exultation.

 _"I can do that too, you know. I just choose not to."_ He grumbled mentally. He closed his eyes to rest a moment. He heard the sand in front of him shift before he felt Vegeta's ki signature move.

 _"What speed! Was I ever this fast?"_ Gohan thought as he opened his eyes. Vegeta stood in front of him, arms crossed. He looked down with a satisfied smirk.

"I must thank you, Gohan! It is only with your assistance that I was able to achieve this transformation. I will admit I would not have been able to accomplish this on my own," Vegeta stretched a hand down to Gohan, "It seems I misjudged you before. You truly are a warrior!" He praised.

 _"Wow! Vegeta's actually being nice! I never expected this to happen!"_ He smiled and took Vegeta's hand, pulling himself up.

"As a reward for your service, I will help you overcome a barrier that has been plaguing _you_ ," Vegeta informed him benevolently. Gohan wasn't sure what he was talking about. Vegeta smirked suddenly.

"Your fear of this power that you hold within you; I'm going to beat it out of you," He announced, "Then, we can have our _true_ battle; deciding once and for all who is strongest! haha HaHa HAHAHAHAHA!" He began cackling madly.

* * *

A/N: That's right, the fight's not over! Vegeta's pride has made a comeback! Gohan's in deep shit!

I feel like I should address some issues:

1\. I decided on the heroine before writing this story, you'll find out who soon enough. After which I will update the story info.

2\. I appreciate suggestions, but I already have this story mostly planned out (outline and everything) so I likely will not implement them.

3\. Each chapter has been between 1500-3000 words, except the first chapter at 1286; and the third at 3237. This is the range I've become comfortable with. I could write longer chapters, but the release rate would slow down.

4\. I have only seen the first 7 episodes of Dragonball Super. After seeing Gohan defeated by having Majin Buu tossed at him, I just gave up. I really dislike his treatment for everything after the Cell games. That's partially why I'm writing this fic. Please do not post spoilers; I may decide to finish it eventually.

5\. Some of the details in this story won't match up with canon. I'm not gonna spend hours researching on the wiki to make sure everything I write is correct.

I hope you guys are still enjoying the story! I'll try to get the next chapter out fast!


	9. Chapter 9: Emotional Explosion

Chapter 9: Emotional Explosion

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Gohan tried to jump back, but Vegeta hadn't let go of his hand.

"Ah, ah, ah," he swished his finger, "You can't run from destiny," he whispered. He slammed a fist into Gohan's stomach.

"Auugh!" Gohan wheezed, spitting up blood. _"So heavy!"_

"Come now! If you don't fight back this won't be any fun!" Vegeta chided, kicking him into a dune. Gohan coughed repeatedly to clear the sand from his lungs.

 _"Damn it! I should have known this would happen. Since when has Vegeta ever been sincerely grateful for anything?!"_ Gohan berated himself. _"Now, not only has he ascended, but I used up all my energy helping him do it!"_ Gohan fished in his pocket for the senzu bean he usually kept there.

 _"It's gone! No… Piccolo made me a new outfit! The bean must have been destroyed in the process!"_ The senzu bean had been in the pocket of his _old_ outfit. He struggled to his feet, pushing through the sand piled on him. As he stood streams of sand poured off him. Vegeta was a few meters away scowling. Surprisingly, Piccolo was there, too. He faced Vegeta with his arms crossed, denying him access to Gohan.

"Vegeta, that's enough. You've already got what you came here for! This fight no longer has any meaning!" Piccolo declared. Vegeta snarled,

"No meaning! It has more than you know! Once I defeat Gohan at full power, I can finally surpass Kakarot! I will not let this chance go!" Vegeta held his fist in front of him righteously. Piccolo growled,

"Well if you want to defeat Gohan so badly, then you'll have to go through me!" He tore off his weighted cape. Vegeta's fist pierced through his torso.

"OH-ho, I'm sorry did you not mean that literally?" He chuckled.

""PICCOLO!"" two young voices screamed simultaneously. Gohan burst forward, newly ignited aura burning like the sun. A powerful kick sent Vegeta flying away from the injured Piccolo. Gohan gathered his teacher into his arms, tears glistening.

"Piccolo! Are you alright?" He asked frantically, trying to recall everything he could about first-aid.

"Relax, kid; it's just a flesh wound," He understated, "Besides Dende's on his way now," He coughed up purple blood. "More importantly, Vegeta's not out of the fight yet," he reminded Gohan, "I'm sorry, Gohan. I tried to buy time for Dende to heal you; but I failed," he reproached himself.

Gohan blinked his tears away when Dende landed next to them. He quickly placed his hands against Piccolo and began healing. Gohan stood, leaving Piccolo in the care of Dende.

 _"I created this mess,"_ He thought, _"I helped Vegeta transform, knowing the effect the transformation had; knowing that Vegeta had always been a violent and rash person. Because of me Piccolo nearly died,"_ He took to the air, guided by Vegeta's immense ki. It didn't take long to find him. He settled to the ground in front of him.

"Now that the small-fry's are out of the way, shall we get down to our fight?" Vegeta asked smugly. Gohan's ire rose at his tone, his normally well-controlled emotion shaking loose.

"Vegeta! Why would you do that to Piccolo?!" He demanded. "There was no need to injure him that badly!" His aura surged as his anger rose. Vegeta smirked at seeing the outcome he wanted,

 _"This kid doesn't get angry for his own sake. You have to hurt his friends!"_ He recalled Cell trying to beat the 'Hidden Power' out of Gohan, failing miserably until he started attacking the others. It wasn't until Android 16's speech and subsequent destruction that Gohan's rage was unleashed, _"I still don't understand how he got so angry over a tin can!"_

"Tell me, Gohan, who else do I have to hurt to make you transform?" Vegeta smirked maliciously, "Your little green friend? Your mother? Mini-Kakarot?" Gohan's aura grew larger as he growled in rage,

" _I won't let you hurt anyone!"_ he said intensely, eyes dark. His aura grew.

"Perhaps I'll do what Cell did and find a tin can to crush!" he continued, "It worked for him, didn't it?"

" _ **Shut. Up.**_ " Gohan grated, " _What do you know about his choice? Do you even understand how great a sacrifice he made?_ " Tears slipped down his cheeks as he looked at the ground, recalling the actions of a brave Android. Emotions he had stuffed in a dark corner of his mind for his own mental health had begun to well up.

" _16 wasn't there by chance,"_ He sniffed and loosed a moan of sorrow, _"He asked a bystander to throw him to me!"_ He fell to his knees, _"Just to ask me to protect the life he had come to love!"_ he whimpered. Vegeta was staring at the outburst in shock. Gohan's breakdown was unexpected, but even moreso was the massive ki he was unconsciously emitting.

 _"His energy surpasses mine threefold! Yet he show no signs of transforming! Where is all this energy coming from?"_ Vegeta didn't dare approach the crying teen, lest he be incinerated by the storm of ki.

Gohan looked through his tears at Vegeta. He didn't seem to be perturbed, and Gohan realized that he didn't understand.

"You don't get it, do you?" He said, slightly calmer now. Vegeta seemed affronted.

"Don't get what!" he demanded. Gohan lowered his eyes again, tears flowing again.

"Android 16. He was different from the other two. Entirely mechanical," he explained, "That day at the Cell games, he didn't die... he was destroyed. Machines don't have souls, they don't pass on to otherworld." Gohan clenched his eyes shut in despair, " _Android 16 doesn't exist anymore! You can search all the universe and all otherworld and you'll never find him!"_ He wailed. He held his face in his hands, crying in earnest.

It was like something had broken within him, and unleashed all his latent power. He screamed as his aura exploded to new heights... only this wasn't a scream of sadness, but of pain. His body couldn't handle the amount of power he was channeling. Gohan didn't notice; he was wrapped up in his emotional turmoil.

"Vegeta, what's happening?!" Piccolo, fully healed, landed near the stunned Prince. Vegeta payed him no mind, he was stuck in his own thoughts.

 _"How is it… every time I think I have overcome all odds and finally earned my place as the strongest, something like this happens? Constantly surpassed by a third-class warrior and his half-breed son!"_ he wondered, despondent. At some point he had dropped his transformation, taking the confidence and arrogance with it. Gohan's power was overwhelming! How could he hope to compete with it?

 _"Damn, this jackass isn't any use!"_ Piccolo derided, _"I need to get through to Gohan, somehow! His body is being torn apart by his ki!"_ Piccolo had been trying to contact Gohan mentally, but couldn't get his attention. He watched nervously as the storm of ki swirled around his pupil.

* * *

Gohan relived his memory of the Cell Games. He watched as a boisterous man was slapped into a cliff. His father fought, and conceded, calling Gohan to fight next. He remembered every blow, and Cell's decision to draw out his fabled 'latent power'. Then came the dreaded moment. The trigger for his transformation. The moment he realised a gentle machine had been wiped away from the world, never to return. A moment he had forced himself to forget. A realization to awful for him to handle.

 _"Gohan!"_ a mechanical voice called. _"Let it go,"_ it commanded. _"I made my choice, and you fulfilled my request. I have no regrets,"_ Gohan's eyes widened. He let go.

* * *

Gohan's screaming stopped, though his aura surged as powerful as ever. Now conscious, he could feel the immense pain wracking his body.

"Gohan!" He heard his mentor's voice. "You have to gain control of your energy! If you can't we'll all die!" Gohan nodded, face tight in pain. He closed his eyes and mustered all his concentration. He used the enhanced ki control he had gained from _flash transformation_ and began forcing the energy back into his body, desperately searching for a place to store it.

His aura shrank, but became brighter. He was running out of room, and the pain was becoming unbearable as he forced the energy in. He grit his teeth and did his best to ignore it, focusing on the task at hand. It wasn't just his life at stake here.

 _"I don't understand why I can't pull this energy back in, when it came from inside in the first place!"_ he thought with fear, _"If I can just figure out where exactly it came from, then maybe I could put it back."_ Alas, he had no luck. It seemed this power had appeared out of thin air.

* * *

"This is just like on Namek, when he fought Frieza. He seemed to be drawing immense power from somewhere, but it always disappeared as quickly as it came!" Piccolo recalled. "What kind of power does Gohan possess?"

* * *

Gohan was grasping at straws, _"No! There's no more room! My body can't hold any more of this power!"_ He used his ki sense to search his body for any vacancy, but every inch was filled to the brim with ki. Then he had an idea, _"If you fill a container with oxygen and then keep pumping it in, it compresses. Can I compress ki to fit more in my own body?"_ It was worth a shot!

His aura stopped wavering as he exerted control over it. Slowly, it formed into a golden sphere, almost like a tiny sun. Suddenly it shrank, all at once rather than gradually. The light it gave off became more intense, melting the sand beneath him. It continued to shrink until it became a shell of ki, fitting his body closely.

The shell began to crack, spider-webbing it's way across. It exploded into a shower of golden fragments. For a moment it seemed like Gohan was shrouded in a mysterious red aura, but it faded quickly and he collapsed. Piccolo and Vegeta stared at Gohan's smoking, burn-covered body. Dende had been further back because the wind from Gohan's ki was too strong for him. He flew as quickly as he could to Gohan's side.

"Piccolo! This will take some time! Go prepare a room for him to recover in!" Dende commanded. Piccolo stared, then nodded in compliance before flying to the floating platform, "Vegeta!" He hollered at the awe-stricken prince. Vegeta looked at the strangely authoritative young Namek, "If you try another stunt like this, I'll have King Yemma mark your soul for 'erasure'." He promised, grimly.

Vegeta was reminded of Gohan's outburst about the android. As he contemplated non-existence he began to realize how truly terrifying the thought was. He nodded tersely.

Dende turned his attention back to healing his best friend, "Hang in there, Gohan, you're going to be alright!"

A/N: Finally! The scene this entire arc has been building up to! I've been so excited to write this chapter, but I still can't believe how quickly I did it. I posted my last chapter just hours ago!

What did you guys think of Gohan's outburst? Did you ever consider the repercussions of 16's death? I only thought about it after I had started writing this. I was thinking about Gohan's transformation and why 16's death angered him so much when I realized. Unfortunately, the series never really explores this idea. _This is why seven year time skips are bad! So much potential for character growth is wasted!_

Alright! I'll see you guys next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10: The Original Kamehameha

Chapter 10: The Original Kamehameha

Disclaimer: I don't own dbz

edit: I noticed the scene with Roshi had him mention Gohan even though Krillin hadn't told him he was here. So, I fixed that.

* * *

Gohan sat up in his bed wearing pajamas while reading a text book. After the 'incident' he had been relegated to sustained bed rest. It had already been a week since his explosion and he was _bored_.

 _"I never realized how much time I spent training. Now that I can't, I don't know what to do anymore. I've resorted to studying in my free time!"_ he marveled. Studying was all fine and well, but you didn't do it for fun; you did it when you had to.

 _"Now that I think about it, dad said proper rest was as important as training. How could I have forgotten to do that?"_ He wondered. Before the Cell games, they had spent an entire week relaxing. After, Gohan seemed to have forgotten that fact; his rush to become stronger had blinded him.

 _"Was that outburst because I was feeling too much stress?"_ He pondered. He had thought about his breakdown many times over the week. Why had he blocked that memory? Well, he knew _why_ , but… looking back he realized how unhealthy it was. It seemed like all his life Gohan had suppressed emotions he felt 'dangerous' until they inevitably exploded.

 _"Raditz, Nappa, Frieza, then Cell; when I fought each of them, I received a power boost after getting angry. What is that power? Why am I the only one that seems able to do that?"_ He searched his memories for clues, finally remembering a certain event, _"Elder Guru! He told me I had immense hidden powers! Though he went on to unlock them, perhaps he couldn't completely do so?"_

Speaking of strange power, Gohan's entire body felt weird. Dende told him that he couldn't be healed completely, because his body had begun restructuring itself to accommodate all the power he had shoved into it. His ki signature felt different, something Piccolo had immediately commented on.

 _"It seems this is irreversible,"_ he concluded, _"I'll just have to get used to it. I just hope there are no awful side effects! Who knows what could result from this?"_ he worried. What if this left him unable to use ki? Or maybe he would never feel comfortable in his own body again? He shook his head; there was no point in worrying over the immutable.

 _"I should get a hobby,"_ He sighed. He started meditating, trying to figure out all the differences in the way his ki moved now.

* * *

Gohan was heading to Kame house. He had recovered enough for light exertion, though figuring out how to use his changed ki had been surprisingly challenging. He was flying pretty slowly, trying to work out the kinks in his control. He felt Krillin's ki spike,

 _"Krillin must be training,"_ he guessed, "I wish I could train, too. I'm not sure I'll even be able to perform any techniques!" he groused. As he drew close to the island, he saw a blue beam of energy stretch away from it into the distance. Gohan smiled at seeing the familiar technique.

"Krillin!" He called out to his bald friend. Krillin dropped his pose and looked up in curiosity. His jaw dropped when he realized his mystery visitor was his young friend Gohan.

"Gohan! What on earth! You're ki feels totally different!" He exclaimed. He paused, eyes narrowing, one hand on his chin, "You're not an imposter are you? Quick! Tell me the first thing I said after Bulma took a shower on the ship while traveling to Namek!" He challenged. Gohan blushed and shook his head swiftly,

"I'm not going to repeat that, pervert!" Krillin grinned, then began laughing,

"Alright, you're definitely Gohan!" he laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. He took some time to calm down, as Gohan huffed at being made fun of… again. "So, what's up with your ki? It's totally different than normal," he asked. Gohan rubbed the back of his head,

"Heh heh, It's kind of a difficult story. I guess you could say this is a training accident," He hedged. "Is Master Roshi here? It'd be easier to explain it to you both at once," He queried.

Krillin nodded and headed into the house. Master Roshi was watching an exercise program, cheeks red and nostrils flaring.

"Hehehe, that's right **stretch those legs**!" He perved. Krillin sighed,

"Hey! You old pervert, shut that off! Gohan's here!" he yelled. Roshi looked at him, mouth open in surprise,

"Krillin! You know the cassette player broke! How am I supposed to enjoy my shows if I can't watch them when they air!" He exclaimed, appalled. Gohan was still outside where Krillin had asked him to wait; he had anticipated this situation.

"Besides, I know you're pulling my chain, Gohan's ki signature isn't anywhere near here! Now, are you going to tell me who our visitor really is?" Roshi's countenance suddenly became serious, "Don't tell me… IT'S A HOT BABE, ISN'T IT?" His ridiculous nature made an immediate reappearance. Krillin placed a palm on his forehead in despair,

"This is the man I call master," he muttered, shaking his head. "No! It really is Gohan! His ki signature changed for some reason! Now, will you shut that off so I can invite him in to explain how that happened?" He shouted in exasperation. Master Roshi regained his composure, actually serious this time.

"His ki signature changed? I must admit that is quite unusual," He seemed almost impressed. Krillin called Gohan in.

"Hello, Master Roshi," He greeted politely, "It's very nice to see you, again."

"Likewise, my boy," Roshi nodded, "Come, have a seat and tell us how your ki changed." He motioned to a cushion across from him at the small table. Gohan smiled and took a seat, beginning his tale.

"Impressive. That almost sounds like… ," Roshi muttered after hearing of the events that happened a few weeks ago. Krillin was still in shock.

 _"Vegeta is a super saiyan 2! And obviously still a bit crazy! He punched a hole in Piccolo! What'll he do if I piss him off?!"_ He panicked, ignoring the fact that Vegeta was already stronger than him as a super saiyan. _"I need to train even harder, at least so I can run away!"_ he decided.

"So, your body is changing to adapt to your new ki? A similar thing happens to those humans who truly become superhuman!" he informed the young half-saiyan. Krillin popped out of his thoughts,

"Wait, it does?" He asked, "I don't remember anything like that!" Krillin's confusion was apparent. Roshi's glasses glinted,

"That's because I never told you! Hehe!" he shouted, embarrassed. He cleared his throat, "When a human reaches their limit then overcomes it their ki restructures their body, greatly increasing it's strength and durability. This transformation usually takes place over months or years, so it goes by unnoticed. This is called breaking the 'Wall of Humanity'." He looked pointedly at Krillin, "You underwent training to do this at a young age, so it's no wonder you don't remember! There is also the fact that both you and Goku were lacking in ki sense. You likely wouldn't have noticed if your ki signature _had_ changed at once." He finished his explanation.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?!" Krillin shouted, astonished that he still had more to learn from his eccentric master. Master Roshi frowned at him,

"I intended to tell you when you took on your own student! Now, get out there and find one! Preferably a young, hot girlie!" he exclaimed, laughing lecherously.

"What! You want _me_ to take on a student! I don't have time for that!" Krillin objected, "I'm one of the warriors defending earth! I need to focus on my training to protect the earth!" He insisted, _"And also so I can survive an attack from Vegeta. He's more likely to kill me than some random alien!"_ he thought fearfully. Gohan hesitantly raised his hand, breaking into their argument,

"Umm… Master Roshi? Could you tell me more about the wall of humanity? I want to know what kind of changes might happen to me when my body finishes adapting to my new power," He requested.

"Hmm, I'm not sure what I tell you will be much help. This transformation of yours was achieved in quite a different fashion. Not to mention you are only half-human." Roshi cautioned.

"Could you tell me anyway, please? I'm a bit curious about it now." Gohan asked. Roshi nodded,

"Very well, then. As you know, your father is a Saiyan. As such, he does not share the limits that humans have. He never broke through the wall of humanity, because there existed no such wall for him. I assumed that as a half-saiyan, you wouldn't ever encounter such an obstacle either." he mused, scratching his beard, "It may be that you finally discovered a Saiyan's limits and overcame them! Or, perhaps your human limits were influenced by your Saiyan blood; therefore you didn't encounter the wall until much later than a normal human. It's only speculation, but I would hazard that the truth lies within one of those explanations." He paused considering his next words,

"Now, about the transformation that occurs after breaking the wall. The human body is usually vulnerable to sharp objects and high-speed projectiles. This transformation leaves the body nearly impervious to these dangers, unless the attack is reinforced with ki. The change to your ki signature is the result of your body adapting to intense trials. After the transformation, your potential for growth becomes limitless." He paused, "That is not to say you are guaranteed to become extremely powerful. It simply opens the way for that possibility." Krillin and Gohan listened intently to his wise words. Roshi took a deep breath,

"Well, that's all there is to it," he grinned impishly. The other two fell over in a heap.

"You crazy old man, making suspense just to let us down!" Krillin reproved. He stood, "Well, if that's all, I'm going back to my training!"

"OH! Wait, Krillin, I had something to tell you!" Krillin stopped to listen, "Did you know 18 was on tv?" He asked. Krillin immediately collapsed in despair.

"Ahhhh! Why'd you have to remind me of her!" he wailed, "I had almost forgotten about it!"

Roshi shook his head, "Poor boy," he sympathised, then his face lit up with mirth, "He actually thought he had a chance with that babe! Kahahaha!" he laughed at Krillin's misfortune. Gohan gathered what happened from Master Roshi's words, though he felt rather sorry for Krillin. _Gohan's_ master would never laugh at him like that.

Master Roshi regained his composure, and looked at Gohan, "Now, it seems you have a lot of free time and nothing to do with it," he stated, "I have a suggestion that I've been meaning to make for a while," His presence became more solemn, "I'd like you to train with me for a while. I heard you were trying to create a new technique; I have experience doing just that, so I may be able to help. Additionally, I'd like to teach you how to perform the Original Kamehameha wave." Gohan was startled,

"The original? Is the technique I learned different?" He asked.

"Yes. The Kamehameha your father taught you is a modified version of my attack. I'm not sure Goku even realized the changes he made, but there are a few key differences with the attack that he uses most often. For convenience sake, I'll dub this modified technique as the 'Super Kamehameha'."

"What kind of differences are there. And, why didn't dad teach me the original attack?" Gohan asked, curious.

"The _Super Kamehameha_ is more suitable for concentrating vast quantities of energy, but in exchange it loses the efficiency and control afforded to the original technique. As for why Goku never taught you… he probably forgot!" he shouted the last part.

* * *

Gohan and Master Roshi stood at the edge of the island. Gohan had put on his new gi, at Roshi's insistence.

"I know Dende told you not to strain yourself, but the original Kamehameha doesn't use very much ki in the first place… at least not compared to the amounts you work with," Roshi instructed. His demeanor was much more serious while he taught. Gohan nodded at his explanation.

"Now is the perfect time to teach you this technique. Normally, you would have trouble learning it due to habitually using the _Super Kamehameha_ ; but with the change in your ki, your body no longer has the correct procedure imprinted into it. This will force you to concentrate on the way the attack forms and how your ki flows." Master Roshi set down his staff and positioned himself facing the ocean.

"Now… watch closely as I perform the movements. Each motion is necessary to properly perform the technique." He commanded. He spread his legs wide. One hand, fingers curled rose above his head; the other lowered beneath his waist. He slowly turned his arms in a spiral, until they met at the wrists in front of his chest. Wisps of energy floated off his body, creating an intense atmosphere. He set one leg in front of the other, and brought his connected hands down to his waist. The energy swirling around him gathered into a point between his hands, slowly growing.

"Ka… Me… Ha… Me… ," He chanted slowly, the point of energy had become a white-blue orb. Gohan watched in fascination as the orb grew and condensed in unison with the chanting.

"Haa!" He thrust his arms forward sharply, loosing a ball of energy followed by a thinner beam. It screamed through the water, throwing spray into the air. Suddenly, Roshi lifted his arms, causing the beam to lift as well.

 _"I can't believe it! I didn't know you could control the Kamehameha after releasing it!"_ He considered all the applications that might have in battle, _"So this is what he meant by sacrificing control!"_ Gohan was sincerely impressed by the hermit's technique.

The technique flew into the sky and vanished in the clouds. Master Roshi slowly dropped his stance. He saw the awe on Gohan's face as he stared at the sky, _"That's right! I've still got it!"_ he exulted. He folded his arms behind his back and coughed to get Gohan's attention,

"So, I'll expect you to show up everyday for the next couple of months. As I teach you my technique, I'll go into detail on the method I used to create and perfect it. Perhaps, this knowledge will help you in the creation of your own technique." Gohan nodded, grateful for the privilege to learn under such an experienced martial artist.

"Thank you, Master Roshi," he said, bowing in respect, "I shall gladly learn whatever you have to offer!" He straightened, and tilted his head curiously, "Though… I have to wonder why you suddenly want to train me. Is it because of the change in my ki?" Roshi shook his head.

"No, it's nothing like that," He answered, staring at the deep blue ocean, "I simply wish to pass on my knowledge to another eager student. And… I think you have the potential to reach unfathomable heights as a martial artist. It would be a great honor to have taught such a fine young man."

Gohan gulped and held back tears. To have someone put so much faith in him was humbling. Especially after the fiasco with Vegeta, and his emotional outburst. He was beginning to doubt whether he was suitable to be the protector of earth.

"I understand, Master Roshi. I'll make you proud, I promise." He vowed, fists clenched in fervor. Roshi nodded solemnly.

"Now! Let's get to training! You've got a lot to learn," He shouted, raring to go, "Since you're still recovering I won't push your body too hard, but learning the secrets of ki will be taxing on your mind! Prepare yourself, Son Gohan!"

* * *

A/N: I wrote the previous chapter in less than 6 hours, it felt like the words just came to me as I wrote. This chapter was the opposite. It's like all the trouble I didn't have with the last chapter rolled over into this one. But! I finally finished it! Yayyyy!

We're well on our way to the otherworld visit! That will be a lot of fun. Sorry there weren't any scenes with Goten, but I can't think of anything interesting he could do as a 1 ½ year old. Next chapter will likely have a time skip, so that problem might be solved.

I've finally reached ten chapters, and simultaneously 20,000 words! Two birds one stone, two milestones one chapter!


	11. Chapter 11: A Chance Encounter

Chapter 11: A Chance Encounter

Disclaimer: I don't own dbz

A/N: To the anonymous reviewer who asked when the next chapter will be out. The answer is: now. When you ask me a question anonymously, I cannot send you a pm. Therefore, I cannot answer your question until the next chapter comes out. Kind of defeats the point of asking when the next chapter comes out, huh?

* * *

Gohan walked down a busy street in South city. He was taking a day off from training and studying.

 _"Much needed time off,"_ The recently turned fifteen year old thought. Training with both Master Roshi and Piccolo, while also keeping up with his studies was difficult. He was tempted to use the time chamber as his bedroom, so he could get some time to rest. Of course, he occasionally had a day like this for relaxation. After remembering his dad's emphasis on proper rest, he had insisted upon it. He looked around, trying to find the all-you-can-eat buffet Oolong had been raving about.

"Man, just thinking about it is making me hungry," he whined, rubbing his stomach. About a year ago his body had finished adapting to his new power, resulting in some interesting changes. His appetite had nearly doubled; meaning he had to hunt for himself occasionally. Chichi couldn't afford to feed the equivalent of three Saiyans.

He saw a large building that lots of people were entering, "Maybe it's in there?" he muttered. The inside was grand. Well, Gohan thought so; he had never really explored a city before so everything seemed grand to him. It was a large open space with lots of little stores all lined up next to each other.

" _This place is amazing!"_ he thought, _"Look at all the stuff you can buy here!"_ He stopped at a sporting goods store, eyeing a baseball bat, _"I think Yamcha had one of these things,"_ he mused, trying to recall. He decided to ask the employee about it.

"Uh, excuse me, sir?" he said, gaining the teenage employee's attention,

"Yes? How can I help you?" The employee asked politely. Gohan presented the bat he was holding,

"Could you tell me what this is?" He asked. The employee seemed confused at the question, but answered helpfully,

"Well… that's a baseball bat. You use it to play baseball," he said, still confused, "If you want to try it out, we've got batting cages in the back. I'll waive the fee since you're a first-time customer." He offered magnanimously. Gohan's eyes widened,

"Oh wow! That's really nice of you, thanks!" he exclaimed in gratitude. He followed the employee through a door in the back, leading to a hallway full of cages. Many of them were already occupied. One batter in particular was incredible, every ball hit the target on the same spot. As Gohan walked past, he looked in to see who it was. The person happened to look back at him at the same time.

"Gohan!", "Eighteen!" They both exclaimed in surprise.

* * *

Eighteen had been having a bad day. Seventeen had taken up demolition derby as a hobby and dragged her to one of his shows. Three hours of watching cars smack into each other was not her idea of fun. She had gone to the batting cages to let off some steam, completely unaware of who she would encounter.

 _"Running into one of that group in a city is unexpected,"_ She thought as she lead Gohan to a coffee shop she frequented. She had invited him to catch up. They took a seat facing each other. She observed the nervous boy in front of her.

 _"He's grown up,"_ She noticed, _"though, the only real difference is his height. He seems otherwise unchanged."_ His hair was a little shorter than before, but still in the same messy style. His clothes were simple: t-shirt, jeans, sneakers; no sign of any fashion sense, just utility.

"I should thank you, you know?" She said, recalling the events of four years ago, "You released me from… that _thing_ ," she shuddered. Even just the memory was horrifying. "I never did say it, so… thank you," She lowered her head in gratitude. Gohan began sputtering and waving his hands,

"No, no! There's really nothing to thank me for!" He yelped. His tone fell, "After I transformed, I really wasn't trying to save anyone," He admitted, somberly. "I just wanted to hurt Cell, that's all," He fiddled with his hands in front of him.

 _"Hmm, I guess even the strongest guy in the world has problems,"_ She thought. _"Maybe I should cheer him up. He did save me after all,"_ She thought about what she could say,

"It doesn't matter how or why, the fact is you saved me. If you're not proud of that, then I guess my life doesn't mean much to you," She said brusquely, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat. _"That didn't quite come out how I meant it!"_ She thought.

"NO, wait! That's not what I meant at all," he said frantically, trying to clear up the misunderstanding, "You're really important, in fact saving you is one of the best things I did with that transformation!" Eighteen smiled and blushed a little.

"You really know what to say to a girl," She teased. Gohan's head tilted in confusion. Eighteen sighed, _"Still so naive,"_ She shook her head.

"So, Gohan, how have things been for you?" She asked, trying to move the conversation along. Gohan leaned back and stared upwards,

"Well, I'd say things have been good. A lot of interesting things have happened." He answered, looking back at her. He grinned, "I have a little brother, now!" he gushed, "He's like a ball of energy, always running around playing games he made up! He can already walk and talk, you know! And he's really smart, and… ," Gohan continued rambling about his amazing little brother. Eighteen watched the play of emotions on his face as he described his brother's latest _amazing_ accomplishment.

 _"He acts more like a proud father than a big brother,"_ She thought, resting her head on her palm as she listened. _"It's kind of cute,"_ She smirked. Gohan finally seemed to run out of breath, so Eighteen could get a word in,

"I love hearing about your little brother… ," She drawled, "But I recall asking about _you_ ," She reminded him. Realization and embarrassment crossed his face,

"Ah! You did, didn't you?" He scratched his nose, "Well, I've… been training and studying," he said, "Then there was that incident with Vegeta… OH WAIT! I just remembered, but I saw you on tv!" He exclaimed, suddenly slapping his hands on the table. Eighteen's eyes widened at his sudden outburst. She smiled,

"I should hope so! I am pretty famous nowadays, what with the movies I've been in," She laughed. Gohan's eyebrow's shot up,

"Movies! I just saw you in a commercial! I had no idea you were so famous!" he exclaimed in awe. He was sitting and talking to a famous movie star! Nevermind that he talked with Bulma all the time, and she was arguably more famous.

"That's incredible! What's it like being in a movie?"

Eighteen smiled at the compliment, "It's pretty fun. I meet interesting people, and I get to try on lots of clothes. I have my own makeup artist, so I don't have to worry about doing it myself. Best of all, I get paid very well!" Her job was one of the few subjects she was enthusiastic about. Gohan chuckled at her sudden liveliness,

"It seems you really like it, huh?" He grinned, leaning his elbows, arms crossed, against the table. Eighteen blushed, agitated at his good humor. She suddenly felt obstinate,

"Yeah, I like it! Something wrong with that?" She challenged. Gohan shook his head good-naturedly,

"Not at all! I'm glad you found something you enjoy!" He smiled brightly. Eighteen couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

Their conversation had continued with Eighteen describing her experience as an actress until Gohan noticed the sun lowering,

"Sorry Eighteen, I have to go now. Don't want to be late for supper," he apologized. Eighteen nodded. They both stood,

 _"Man, this has actually been a lot of fun! I wish I didn't have to leave."_ He thought, sad that their time was ending. _"I know, maybe we're heading the same way! We could fly together!"_ He faced Eighteen and spoke,

"Uh… um, Eighteen! I was wondering… I mean… if we're going the same way… ," He stumbled over his words. Eighteen seemed to realize what he was trying to say,

"Sure, let's fly together. It could be fun," She smiled gently. Gohan suddenly felt very hot, inexplicably. As they left the mall, Gohan's eyes were repeatedly drawn to Eighteen.

 _"Augh! What is going on with me!"_ He thought, frustrated with his own actions. Eighteen giggled at the expression he was making. They left the mall and found a secluded alley to take off in. Eighteen took to the air,

"Let's see if you can keep up!" She challenged blasting away at high speed. Gohan smiled and followed.

 _"Oh? Not even going to transform? You think you can beat me in base form?"_ Eighteen thought, brow raised as Gohan kept pace with her. Unlike Eighteen, Gohan had a white aura flaring around him and trailing behind. He flipped over, crossing his legs and placing his arms behind his head leisurely. _"Oh, it's_ so _on!"_ Eighteen grated. She shot off, creating a sonic boom. Gohan laughed and copied her.

 _"He's actually keeping up with me! How much faster would he be transformed!"_ She thought, brows raised in shock at Gohan's easy display of power. Gohan pulled closer and closer, eventually passing her. He turned his head back, grinning at her,

 _"That arrogant little prick!"_ She fumed, though she kept smiling. Then the shock hit, _"He just beat my top speed without transforming! How could he have gotten so strong in just four years?!"_ She bit her lip in frustration.

"Come on Eighteen, let's get serious! Show me how fast you really are!" Gohan shouted, insensitively. Eighteen's frustration burst,

"Shut it! I'm going as fast as I can!" She yelled. Despite her efforts, tears welled in the corners of her eyes. "You may have gotten stronger, but I haven't!" They had both stopped in mid-air. Gohan was tensed up, taken off guard by her outburst. Eighteen clenched her fists,

"My power is artificial! I won't grow stronger, no matter how I train!" She exclaimed, voice cracking. She shut her eyes, willing the tears to go away. _"Damn, I can't believe I let this get me so worked up! It's just so frustrating!"_ She felt strong hands grasp her shoulders. Wet blue eyes looked up into black eyes.

"That's not true, Eighteen! There is always a way!" He said, sincerely. "You might not know what it is yet, but as long as you keep trying, you'll find it!" He grinned, "That's something Piccolo taught me. Though he said it with fists instead of words!" He laughed.

Eighteen smiled through her tears at his encouragement. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Gohan let go and gave her some space.

"Thanks, Gohan. That really helps." She smiled warmly. "You're right, I won't give up!" She determined. She played with a strand of hair and looked up at him, "Hey… Gohan?" Gohan felt that warm feeling again, though this time it was more acute. It felt like a hot ball twisting in his gut. It wasn't entirely unpleasant. "Yeah, Eighteen?" He gulped.

"Do you think we could meet again?" she asked quietly, "Just to talk!" she added quickly, blushing. Gohan felt the hot ball turn faster,

"Uh… Yeah, sure! I'd like that!" He said, somewhat breathlessly. "I have another free day in a week… we could meet at West City," He offered. Eighteen nodded,

"Alright, a week from now, West City!" she smiled, "See you then," She waved, and flew off. Gohan stood there a while, trying to figure out what was happening. He snapped out of it when he realized he needed to be home for supper, and headed off.

* * *

Eighteen flew towards her apartment, face in her hands.

 _"I can't believe that just happened! Did I really just ask him on a date?"_ She shook her head, _"No! It's not a date! Just two friends meeting up; nothing wrong with that!"_ She convinced herself. She thought back to his encouraging words and blushed, _"Dammit! Why did that make me so happy?! He was just being nice!"_ She berated herself. Still, his words really had made her feel much better.

 _"Maybe I was too hasty when I gave up. Gohan believes in me, so maybe I can find my own way to become stronger!"_ She smiled. She started looking forward to their next meeting.

* * *

A/N: Could this be? The stirrings of romance? ...maybe. Ok, Definitely. So, Eighteen is our heroine, how many of you figured it out before this chapter? I did leave subtle hints (well, I tried to be subtle. Maybe it was actually obvious.) for you to find.

I have to admit, I had a lot of trouble deciding how to write 18. She isn't very well fleshed out in the anime, so it took me a while to decide how she would behave. I have to say I like how she turned out; she may be a bit out-of-character but seeing as she spent the last four years much differently than in canon, I think it's excusable.

What did you guys think of my attempt at romance. This is the first story I've ever written, so it's obviously my first attempt at romance as well. I'm worried that I'll mess it up, since I've never actually been in a relationship. Feedback is appreciated!


	12. Chapter 12: Demonstrating Progress

Chapter 12: Demonstrating Progress

Disclaimer: I don't own dbz

A/N: This story now has over 100 followers, and the view count is over... 10,000! I missed the 9,000 mark because the views went up too quickly; I couldn't finish this chapter before they reached 10,000.

* * *

Gohan stood on the beach, wind ruffling his gi. It was a beautiful, sunny day on Master Roshi's small island.

"Alright, my boy, time to demonstrate your progress," Roshi commanded. Gohan nodded. He dropped his stance, legs spread wide in the sand. He placed one hand above his head, the other below his waist and began to summon his energy. A serene white aura covered him like a liquid membrane, undulating like the waves in an ocean. His arms swung in a spiral until his wrists met.

"Ka… Me… ," He began to chant, bringing his connected arms down to his waist and placing one foot behind him. His body was positioned sideways compared to the direction his head faced. A ball of light blue ki formed in his hands, slowly growing. The flowing membrane around his hands glowed blue.

"HA… ME… ," The wind picked up around him, sending sand swirling up into the air. The island began to shake, causing Master Roshi to place his staff into the ground for stability. He watched on passively, carefully observing Gohan's technique. Suddenly, the ball of energy in Gohan's hands flared bright, washing the world blue. Gohan brought his hands forward sharply,

"HAAAAA!" He screamed, ending the chant and sending forth a massive wave of light blue energy. The beam tore through the ocean, revealing it's floor. Gohan's aura seemed like it had connected to the beam; it had taken on a similar hue to the attack. Gohan began moving his arms this way and that, controlling the trajectory of the beam. It arced and looped forming intricate patterns in the air and circling around the island multiple times.

Gohan seemed to be struggling, sweat poured off his face; evaporating before it hit the sand due to his intense aura. He sent the beam straight up, arms lifted above his head. Then spread his arms wide apart, disconnecting from the base of the attack. Rather than exploding, the beam dissipated into millions of ki particles; raining down on the island harmlessly.

Gohan fell to the sand, sunlight shone on him; no longer suppressed by his brighter energy. He was breathing hard, chest pumping air into his lungs with fervor. Roshi calmly leaned down to pick up the sunglasses that fell off his face in shock. His legs were shaking like maracas, but he maintained his composure. He coughed to get Gohan's attention,

"Well… that was decent, though a bit flashy," he admitted, grudgingly, "Of course, I could certainly do better, back in my day!" He lied, _"What kind of monster is this kid!? He surpassed me in my own technique in just two years! How could someone soak up all those boring ki control lectures I gave him!"_ He wondered, incredulously. Gohan sighed,

"Ah, man! I still have a long way to go, I guess!" he complained, rubbing sweat off his forehead, "Haha! Guess I'll just have to keep trying!" He decided. Roshi nearly fell over,

 _"Don't say that, Gohan! You'll make every other martial artist look bad!"_ He retorted mentally.

Gohan lay in the sand for a while, catching his breath. His mind began to wander to his encounter with Eighteen. _"I wonder what she's doing now? Has she found a way to get stronger? Though, it's only been a few days, so probably not. I don't see how the machine that generates her energy could increase the amount it produces. Dr. Gero certainly would have set it to operate at maximum power, right? I wonder if there's any way I can help her?"_ He asked himself, _"How can an android become stronger? She's not like Cell, so no absorbing people… which is probably for the best."_ He shuddered as he remembered Cell's disgusting ability, _"...Maybe I should ask Bulma for help. She can probably think of something!"_ He concluded.

Master Roshi watched as Gohan lay there, noting the goofy smile on his face, _"What is he so happy about?"_ He wondered, _"He should be focusing on recovery!"_ He walked over and smacked his protege's head with his staff.

"Oww! What was that for Master Roshi?!" Gohan shouted, rubbing his head.

"You don't have time to sit there and dream about girls! Your test isn't over!" Roshi scolded him. Gohan sat up, face red, and frantically waved his arms,

"Tha- That's not what I was doing at all!" He denied. Master Roshi's brows rose so high, they threatened to fly off,

"You!" He pointed a shaking finger at Gohan, "Y- You really were thinking about girls?!" His whole body began to shake. Gohan tried his best to deny it, but his lies were as lackluster as ever,

"No! I, uh, I was thinking about… uh, food! Yeah, it was a new dish that mom made. Ah man! It was so delicious! I just can't stop thinking about it!" He said theatrically, rubbing his stomach. He was sweating for an entirely different reason now, _"If Master Roshi realizes he's right, I'll never hear the end of it!"_

Master Roshi's shaking stopped, "I see," he said simply, "It's a little disappointing… I thought perhaps you were thinking of a shapely backside or maybe two beautiful knockers," He said wistfully. Gohan's face resembled a cherry, out of either embarrassment or anger; maybe both.

"I WOULD NEVER THINK SUCH PERVERTED THINGS ABOUT HER!" He screamed, his voice shaking the air. Roshi's sunglasses glinted dangerously,

"So you're saying… there _is_ a 'her'" His voice was scarily calm, he walked towards Gohan. Each step seemed to cause Gohan physical pain. Once in arms distance, Roshi dropped his staff and jumped forward; grasping Gohan's gi.

"You've got a hot date, and you didn't even tell me!" he shouted, shaking his student back and forth. Gohan pushed away the tenacious old man, keeping him at arm's distance,

"It's not a date! We're just friends, that's all!"

"As your master, I demand you introduce me! And tell her to bring all her cute friends!" Roshi was crawling over Gohan, pulling at his cheeks. Somehow Gohan didn't have the strength to push him away, _"Is he drawing strength from perversion? He should not be this strong!"_

"You've already met her, once! And I'm not going to ask her to introduce her friends to you! I don't want her to hate me!" Master Roshi seemed appalled.

"How could you say something so rude about your master!" He exploded, "I demand respect!" He let go of Gohan and sighed, "Youngsters these days! They have no respect for the elderly!" he fumed. Gohan sat on the beach recovering from the tussle, _"Why did I ever agree to train with this pervert! I saw how he treated Krillin, but I agreed anyway!"_ He lamented.

"At the very least… ," Master Roshi continued, seeming composed once again, "TELL ME, IS SHE HOT?" he shouted, nostrils flaring. Gohan placed his hands over his face,

"Someone, please kill me!" He cried.

* * *

Bulma was working in the gravity chamber, trying to repair the damage Vegeta had done to it. Ever since he ascended, he'd been training even harder.

"You put in all that effort to reach super saiyan 2, and now that you have, you're not satisfied!" She groused. She had held out hope that he might settle down after reaching his goal, but she should have known it was too good to be true.

 _"Still, that fight with Gohan changed him for the better. I don't really know what happened, but it had quite the impact on him!"_ She vividly recalled the memory of Vegeta coming home and hugging their son, tenderly. There were even occasions that he spoke to her politely! Lately, he had started spending the time he needed to recover from a training session with them, usually watching tv.

 _"Though lately, he spends more time with Trunks than me! Apparently four is old enough to start training!"_ She fumed. She threw down her tools, "That's it, I'm done with this. Vegeta can use one of the spares for a while!" She seethed, her thoughts making her angry.

A voice resounded in the chamber, "Mrs. Brief, you have a visitor. Gohan is here to see you!" her assistant said over the intercom. She took a breath to calm down and went to the intercom. She pressed the 'talk' button,

"Alright, Tina, tell him to wait in the kitchen; I'm sure he's hungry," She responded. She went to change out of her dirty jumpsuit.

* * *

She walked in on Vegeta staring down an uncomfortable Gohan.

"I'm glad you're here!" he smirked, "I've been wanting a rematch!" he revealed. Vegeta demanded a spar every time he saw Gohan. Their last spar had allowed him to ascend to Super Saiyan 2; obviously, it was an effective way to become stronger. However, Gohan had turned it down over and over; at first, claiming he needed to recover. After his body had finished adjusting, he simply avoided Vegeta as much as possible.

"Aw, I'm really sorry, Vegeta, but I came here to talk to Bulma," He said, scratching his cheek nervously, "I don't really have time for a spar." He apologized. Vegeta was about to retort, but Bulma interrupted,

"Vegeta, leave Gohan alone! It's your fault he hasn't come around, lately! Can't you lay off the challenges for a few hours!" She ranted. Gohan sighed in relief at her appearance.

 _"I'm saved! I really don't like fighting Vegeta; he doesn't know when to stop! Plus, our last fight ended up with me crying on my knees and having to spend months recovering. What if that happens again?!"_ It wasn't really likely, but he didn't want to take chances. Vegeta stomped away, annoyed at being dismissed. Bulma stepped up and gave him a big hug,

"Long time no see, kid. Have you gotten a little taller?" She asked, taking a look at him.

"It hasn't been _that_ long, Bulma!" Gohan laughed. Bulma smiled at him,

"So, you came here for a reason right? You wouldn't come _near_ Vegeta unless you felt you had to." She guessed. Gohan nodded, chuckling,

"Yeah! You see right through me, huh?"

"Only because you're so transparent!" She teased. Gohan smiled, and rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"Actually, I'm sort of here for a friend," He informed her, "You see, she has a bit of a problem and I was hoping you could help," he explained earnestly. Bulma hummed,

"I see… so our little Gohan finally made nice with a girl," she smirked, "Anyone I know, by chance?" She asked, inquisitively. Gohan winced,

 _"Well, one time you created a device intended to kill her, so… yeah, I guess"_ He thought. He decided not to mention that.

"Actually, the friend I'm talking about is android Eighteen," He admitted. There really wasn't a way to ask for methods to increase an android's strength without revealing that, "She wants to get stronger, but there isn't anyway to make her energy generator increase it's energy output." Bulma's eyes widened,

"Oh, wow! I seriously wasn't expecting that! You and Eighteen, huh?" She looked at him appraisingly, "Mm-hmm, I can definitely see it!" Gohan tilted his head in confusion,

"See what?" He looked down at himself, "Something on my shirt?" he asked. Bulma shook her head.

"Nevermind, just forget I said that. Anyway, trying to increase such a powerful generator's output would be incredibly difficult. Not to mention, I destroyed those blueprints Krillin and Trunks found to make sure nobody tried to make more androids! Hmm… If you bring her here, I might be able to figure out how it works and improve it; but I think there may be a simpler solution!" Bulma said. Gohan's eyes widened,

"A simpler solution? What is it?" He questioned. Bulma smirked,

"Tell me, ki is life energy, right?" Gohan nodded, "So every living thing possesses it. Eighteen may be called an android, but she's more like a cyborg. She used to be a normal human, so she must be a living being, right?" Gohan gaped at her,

"Are you suggesting she could use ki?! But… I can't feel _any_ ki from her! Even the weakest human has a ki signature that I can sense!" He argued. Bulma shrugged,

"Maybe the machinery prevents you from sensing it?" She suggested, "At the least, it might be worth suggesting to her," She advised, "If it doesn't work out, then bring her here, and I'll see what I can do!" She smiled. Gohan grinned and hugged her,

"Thanks for the help, Bulma! You're the best!" He enthused. Bulma smirked, patting his back,

"I know, kid. I know." she admitted pompously.

* * *

Gohan stood on the platform in the 'Room of Life and Desolation', as Dende had finally dubbed it. Though, Gohan and Piccolo just called it the 'training room'. Dende had made some rather impressive changes to the unfinished dimension.

"Wow! Just look at that! The floating rocks are like small continents now!" He exclaimed in excitement; shielding his eyes from the harsh, sourceless light emanating from the sky. The floating continents were no longer bare rocks, either. They each seemed to have their own ecosystem, with varied climates. There was one nearby sporting an enormous jungle with trees like skyscrapers. Gohan grinned broadly,

"It's gonna be a lot of fun fighting here, now!" He complimented. Dende, standing next to him, nodded happily,

"Thanks, Gohan! I put a lot of work into it! By the way... what do you think of the name?" He asked hesitantly. Gohan smiled and faced him,

"It's awesome, Dende! Really captures the _feel_ of lush islands floating above a barren desert!" He gushed. They both heard a snort,

"Could be better," Piccolo harrumphed, though his slight smirk indicated he was joking. Gohan and Dende laughed. Piccolo walked up to them,

"Alright, kid! Get ready for our spar! I want to see your full power!" Piccolo commanded. Gohan nodded, suddenly serious. They both floated over to the jungle island, landing on a branch the size of a highway. Piccolo powered up first, revealing a purple aura.

 _"Ever since Piccolo began compressing his ki, his strength has grown in leaps and bounds!"_ Gohan thought. Piccolo had seen the massive increase in Gohan's power after the 'incident' and sought to reproduce it in himself. Though, the method he used was different; using meditation to slowly compress his ki rather than all at once. Gohan figured there was much less chance of blowing up with that method.

Gohan prepared to show his own power. He clenched his fists at his sides. He drew out each breath, long and slow. Reaching mentally for the source of his power; he drew it out! An immense white aura swirled into being, it's intensity cracking the wood beneath his feet and stripping the nearby leaves from their branches. He reached further within, feeling the barrier to the next level and broke through it.

"HAA!" he shouted, golden aura bursting out! The force cratered the fragile wood below his feet. Fragments of wood and leaves twisted around him, as he stood floating a foot above the branch. He appeared as if a golden god; floating majestically and emanating incredible power!

 _"Unbelievable! He's surpassed the strength he had as a Super Saiyan 2!"_ Piccolo thought, stunned at the display. His own power was only at the level Gohan had reached in his fight with Vegeta… before the explosion of energy. However, it appeared Gohan was not done,

 _"I can feel a barrier!"_ Gohan mused, feeling out his full power, _"It's doesn't lead to Super Saiyan 2! What is it? Is there another level?"_ He prodded at it, trying to determine how much power was needed to make it give, _"It's no good! It won't budge at all!"_ He let out a breath and dispersed his aura.

"Alright, Piccolo! I'm ready!" All his normal goofiness seemed to have disappeared. He slowly set his feet back on the ground, taking up his stance. Piccolo followed suit. Gohan launched at his teacher arm pulled back.

"Haaa!" His fist blurred forward, colliding against Piccolo's forearm with a great boom; the visible shockwave shattering the branch they stood on. Their speed picked up and blows rained back and forth, decimating the lush jungle. They didn't mind that; as the damage would repair itself over time.

Neither had landed a solid hit yet, their blows being either blocked or dodged. Suddenly, Piccolo was knocked out of hyper-speed; crashing through an enormous tree trunk. Gohan sent a volley of ki blasts after him.

 _"Piccolo won't be able to resist using the cover those explosions will provide! He may be a prodigy at ki suppression, but my sensing skills have improved greatly thanks to Master Roshi!"_ He smirked. Gohan's personality seemed to undergo a slight change in battle; he no longer disliked it, having learned to enjoy the thrill during his and Piccolo's intense training sessions. Gohan focused his senses, so as not to lose track of his teacher.

 _"He's going lower. Don't tell me! He burrowed through the island to circle around and take me by surprise! Haha! It's a good plan, but it won't work!"_ he concluded. He created a ball of ki and set it floating in front of him. It held a ki signature almost identical to Gohan's own; a decoy. He lowered his ki, reverting to base form and drawing his power back into his core; then dropped to the ground, hiding amongst the foliage.

He waited; Piccolo's ki was now too far away to sense, so he had little other choice. As he waited, he reached back into his core; drawing upon one of the peculiar changes he had found after recovering from his transformation. Mystic ki; well, that's what he decided to call it. It _did_ feel pretty mystical. At least, according to him and Dende. Nobody else was able to sense it. This was why it had become one of his trump cards.

He slowly drew it out; having difficulty due to it's strange properties. His hand glowed with an intense red aura, golden flecks of energy floating within. He focused it into a ball, forming a beautiful orb of red and sparkling flecks of gold.

 _"Now, I just have to hold it until Piccolo shows!"_ He thought. The only trouble was spotting Piccolo when he _did_ show. Green skin was hard to see against dense foliage. Gohan waited, senses keen and energy orb covered by leaves; blocking any light from giving away his position.

* * *

Piccolo carefully floated through the massive jungle, keeping a lock on Gohan's stationary ki signature,

 _"Are you just waiting for me? I thought I taught you better than that, kid!"_ He criticized. He travelled for a few minutes following Gohan's ki, when he finally spotted the telltale golden glow of a super saiyan. Piccolo smirked,

 _"Sorry, kid! No mistake goes unpunished!"_ He readied himself for a volley of powerful ki blasts, but suddenly felt Gohan's ki spike to his left, _"A trap! I have to block it!"_ A wave of yellow energy slammed into him. He held firm, preparing to deflect it when he heard it… the telltale sounds of ki flying through the air, _"I can hear it, but I can't sense it!"_

Occupied as he was with the yellow blast; he didn't have the time to search for the second blast. It slammed into him, expanding dangerously. Piccolo was squeezed between two blasts, _"Damn! This is bad! I don't see a way out of this!"_ All he could do was fill his body with ki to increase it's durability enough to survive the explosion. A great explosion occurred, annihilating the surrounding forest. Even with it's great size, the island didn't escape without a few cracks running the length of it.

* * *

"OH NO! Piccolo! I went too far!" Gohan panicked. He hadn't meant to make the blast so powerful; it was just really hard to control mystic ki. He didn't really know how to gauge it's strength, because he had nothing to compare it to; nobody else seemed to have it. He called out to his younger Namekian friend,

"Dende! We need your help! I think Piccolo is injured pretty badly!" Gohan zipped over to his mentor, intent on helping him; instead he received a ki blast to the face, knocking him back a couple dozen meters, rolling on the jungle floor.

"Augh! That stings!" He complained, wiping dirt off his face. He looked up to see his mentor standing hunched, hands on his knees. His gi was tattered and he was breathing hard,

"Piccolo! You're okay!" he exclaimed as Dende dropped to the ground, ready to lend aid. Piccolo smirked,

"It's not that easy... to take me out!" He panted. Gohan smiled at his friend's obstinance.

"But… I think that's enough today. Good fight, Gohan!" Piccolo complimented. Gohan's grin grew wider. He placed a hand on his hip and the other rubbed the back of his head,

"Thanks, Piccolo! You did great, too!" He returned. He looked at Dende, "Can I leave him to you?" Dende nodded. Gohan smiled and blasted off to the exit, he had just remembered something great!

 _"I get to see Eighteen tomorrow! I can't wait to tell her about Bulma's idea!"_ He enthused.

* * *

A/N: Longest chapter yet! I may try to make my chapters a bit longer from now on. No promises. A reviewer had concerns about Gohan and 18's age difference. I don't know how old 18 is, but the gap is probably around 10 years. I don't think it's a big deal, so I'm not going to change it or anything. If that bothers you? Tough luck.

In case you were wondering, I have not forgotten about the otherworld visit. I want to take some time to develop Gohan and 18's relationship before I start that. Expect more of Goten now that he's almost 4!

Thanks, everyone who reviewed! I'm glad people are excited about the pairing! It's pretty unusual, so I wasn't sure how well it would be received.


	13. Chapter 13: Unlocking Ki

Chapter 13: Unlocking ki

Disclaimer: I don't own dbz

* * *

Eighteen floated above West city, waiting for Gohan to show up,

 _"Why did I not set a specific time? Or an actual meeting place? I can't sense energy and Gohan can't sense_ my _energy! I can't even call him because he probably doesn't have a phone!"_ She complained. It was early morning, and she had only been there for ten minutes but she was preparing for a few hours wait.

She thought back to her efforts over the week. Whenever she had time, she would ponder ways to increase her strength. She didn't want to be left behind by Gohan and his friends. She didn't ever want to be as helpless as she had been against Cell! Gohan's words had reminded her of her determination.

 _"It seems I owe him another one. First he saves me from Cell, then my own self-doubt,"_ She rose higher hoping to catch a glimpse of his aura. Luck was on her side,

 _"I'm surprised. I thought I would have to wait much longer,"_ She thought. She went to meet him, high enough above the city not to be seen.

"Hey! Eighteen!" He called. Eighteen waved; yelling wasn't her thing. He pulled to a stop in front of her.

"Whew! There you are! This morning I realized that you might be waiting anywhere in the city. I was worried I'd have to ask Dende for help finding you!" He admitted, rubbing his head and smiling at her. "I'm glad I found you so quick! Have you been waiting here long?" He queried.

Eighteen shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "No, not long," she assured, "only an hour or two," she deadpanned. Gohan's eyes widened comically,

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to keep you waiting so long! Ah man, I really screwed this one up!" he agonized, pulling his hair. Eighteen giggled,

"Just kidding. It's only been about ten minutes," She revealed. Gohan gaped at her,

"Ahahah! Oh man, you really got me!" He laughed good-humoredly, "You're really good at keeping a straight face! I could never pull that kind of joke off. Believe me, I tried!" he said.

Eighteen huffed, "I _am_ an actress. If I couldn't do that much, I wouldn't have made it in show business."

Gohan nodded, showing understanding, "Umm, now that we're here... did you have anything in particular you wanted to do?" Gohan asked.

Eighteen nodded, "I figured we could stroll through the park. You still haven't told me much about what you've been doing all these years, and my interest hasn't faded."

Gohan's brows raised, "Wait, I thought we already talked about that! Didn't you ask that same question last week?" Gohan questioned.

Eighteen shook her head, "I did ask, but you didn't answer, remember? You suddenly remembered my commercial, and the topic changed to that." She informed him coolly.

Gohan slapped his forehead, "Ahh, I remember now! I'm sorry, I'll try to pay more attention." he promised.

Eighteen smirked as they arrived above the park, "See that you do," She approved.

They found a spot to land unnoticed. Eighteen fixed her windblown hair. Gohan watched her, feeling that warm ball again. She was wearing a red cardigan with a white undershirt and tan capris pants. He couldn't help feeling under-dressed compared to her. He was just wearing his normal white long-sleeve shirt and red track-pants. He shook the thought from his head,

 _"No point in worrying about that now; I don't exactly have anything else to change into."_ He reminded himself. Completely forgetting a certain technique Piccolo had taught him. Eighteen finished with her hair, and turned to him,

"Alright, let's go," She walked out of the alley they had landed in and crossed into the park grounds. The park was beautiful and quite large, easily affording them privacy while they walked down the well-manicured paths. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye,

"So. After the Cell games. What happened?" She inquired. Gohan walked next to her, hands in his pockets, an unusual serious expression on his face,

"Well, the next few weeks weren't exactly pleasant," He started, "I had just lost my dad, and I still blamed myself. Mom couldn't really help because she was mourning, too. I threw myself into training, hoping to live up to the role dad had passed onto me." He continued solemnly. Eighteen frowned in sympathy, placing a hand on his arm,

"I'm sorry about what happened to Goku. I may have been programmed to kill him, but I never hated him." She comforted, _"Wait, how was that supposed to make him feel better?"_ She realized. Gohan seemed to take her sympathy for what it was,

"Thanks, Eighteen. I would never hold you responsible for something you had no choice in," he assured, smiling warmly, "Anyway, I've had plenty of time to come to terms with his decision. I know that he's just trying to protect us all; in his own way." Eighteen let go of his arm as they reached an elegant stone fountain, she motioned to the edge; prompting him to sit. He did, and she followed suit.

"Well, when I was training I realized I needed to gain control of my new form," Gohan continued his earlier explanation. However Eighteen interrupted him,

"You've mentioned this new form before, but I don't really know what it is," She admitted, "I guess you gained it while fighting Cell, but I wasn't exactly conscious for most of that." She continued. She placed her hands on the edge of the fountain, leaning forward with her head turned toward Gohan; waiting for an answer.

"Oh, right! I guess I never did explain," he paused, "And you don't really know anyone else who was there," He realized, "Well, you know all about Super Saiyans, right?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," Eighteen hummed.

"After Cell showed up, my dad and I entered the hyperbolic time chamber to get a year's worth of training done," he explained. Eighteen held up her hand, interrupting him again,

"Hold on! The _what_ chamber! Cell was only around for two weeks! How could you possibly train for a year to fight him?" Questions flowed from her lips. Gohan laughed and rubbed his head,

"Oh, yeah! I guess you don't know about that stuff, either! I suppose it is pretty unbelievable if you haven't seen it yourself!" he grinned, "The hyperbolic time chamber is a separate dimension that we can access. It allows you to get a year's worth of training done in just 24 hours! Pretty cool, huh?" his grin widened. Eighteen stared at him incredulously,

"You expect me to believe you can access some alternate training dimension!" She exclaimed, cool demeanor finally broken. Gohan nodded,

"Yeah, I mean you can only access the time chamber twice in a lifetime -so I can't take you there without a good reason- but Dende created a new room I can show you!" He said, enthusiastically. Eighteen shook her head, exasperated,

"Maybe some other time. Let's get back to your new form." she insisted. Gohan nodded,

"Well, while we were training, dad came up with an idea to completely master the form. We both tried to maintain the transformation for as long as possible. This was so we could become accustomed to the strain; increasing our stamina and nullifying the need to waste energy transforming. After all, we were already transformed. We simply needed to power up." He explained, "With this training we were able to become significantly stronger. At the same time, it paved the way for my new transformation." Eighteen nodded and waved her hand impatiently, urging him to continue.

"When my dad called me up to fight Cell, I was surprised. Dad had always been stronger than me. I didn't understand how _I_ could defeat Cell if my dad couldn't," he said, "But I believed in his judgement. So, I did my best and gave everything I had; it wasn't enough. However, I finally realized what dad was expecting from me," He paused, looking at Eighteen, "Throughout my life there have been times when I got angry and somehow drew amazing power from somewhere deep inside me. Dad was counting on that happening."

Eighteen's eyes widened, "Your dad had you fight Cell on a hunch!" she yelled. Gohan winced,

"Well! I'm sure it was more than a hunch!" He defended his father frantically, "He wouldn't put me in that kind of situation unless he was certain I would win! I haven't exactly had a chance to ask him how he knew I would attain a new form but Piccolo tells me he seemed certain that I would defeat Cell!" he said. Eighteen sighed in resignation,

"At least he was right, huh?" She nudged him with her elbow. Gohan nodded, grinning,

"Yeah! Dad's hunches have a way of coming true!" he said.

"So, are you ever going to show me this Super Saiyan 2?" Eighteen asked. Gohan stiffened, and shook his head,

"No. Not long after the Cell games, I decided that I would never use that form again."

"Why not? It's strong isn't it?"

"It is! However, it messes with my head. When I transformed, I was so sure of my ability I lost awareness of the situation. Cell was powerful enough to destroy the earth easily. When fighting an enemy like that, you can't afford to mess around. When the earth could be destroyed with a flick of your enemy's hand, you have to finish the battle as fast as possible," He said. Eighteen nodded in understanding.

"That's the problem with Super Saiyan 2; it brings out Saiyan instincts for battle. It made me want to test my strength rather than finish the fight, and Cell took advantage of that. After you were released, he reverted to his semi-perfect form. He realized that he had no chance of winning, so he decided to blow himself up… I couldn't do anything. I finally realized the consequences of my actions. Then dad saved us all. He used instant transmission to take Cell away from earth before he could explode."

Eighteen's eyes widened, "I never realized that was how he died," she admitted. Gohan nodded,

"Yeah, the world at large is pretty much unaware of the real events of the Cell games," he concluded. Eighteen glanced at him from the corner of her eye,

"And you're okay with that?" she asked, "You saved the world and now some buffoon is taking credit for it, and becoming rich. I always wondered why one of you didn't swoop in and set things straight." she said. Gohan laughed,

"Well, letting him take credit was convenient for us. I don't think I'm much of a hero. I couldn't even prevent my father's death," He said, head bowed.

Eighteen stood, "Alright, that's enough of that." She declared. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet, "Let's go do something else!" Gohan followed obediently, before speaking up,

"You know, there is one important thing I haven't told you yet," He said. Eighteen stopped and turned to him, brow raised.

"I may have found a way for you to get stronger!" he exclaimed, grinning wide. Eighteen's eyes widened, then she punched his shoulder,

"Oww! What was that for!"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner!" She yelled, arms crossed. Gohan chuckled and rubbed his head,

"Ehehe, I… kinda forgot?" he said, hesitantly. Eighteen's eye twitched, but she remained calm. She stared at him, tapping her foot. He stared back, uncomprehending,

"Well? What is it?" She said, finally. Giving up on him noticing what she wanted. Gohan flinched,

"Oh, right! Well, you know how ki is energy that every living thing has?" he inquired. Eighteen shook her head,

"Well, I do _now_ ," She said.

"I see. Well, every living being has ki; even you! It may be hidden by the machinery Gero planted in you, but it is certainly there! If you can learn to tap into your ki, you can definitely become stronger!" He enthused. Eighteen calmly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear,

"That's great and all, but I don't know the first thing about using ki," she informed him. Gohan smiled and spread his arms wide,

"I'd be happy to teach you!" he said, cheerfully. Eighteen's face lost it's usual bored expression,

"Really? I thought you were busy with training? And your days off are for relaxing, not teaching." Eighteen reminded him. Gohan shook his hand in front of him,

"Don't worry about it, Eighteen! I can make time! We're friends after all. That's what friends do," He smiled gently. Eighteen reciprocated,

 _"Friends, huh? That's kinda nice."_ she thought. Gohan stared at the sky, hand on his chin,

 _"My training with Master Roshi is almost done. Until then, I guess I'll have to cut back on my meditation. Maybe I can use this as an opportunity to begin Goten's training, too? I don't want him to fall behind Trunks!"_ Gohan thought. He felt kind of competitive with Vegeta and Trunks in that regard. It was too soon to begin Goten's real training, but there were some simple things he could do to give the little guy a head start for when they do. His thoughts were interrupted when Eighteen tapped his shoulder,

"Alright, let's go, Gohan," She said. She took to the sky,

"Wait! Eighteen! Go where?" he asked, following her. She looked back at him condescendingly,

"To start training, obviously!" She revealed.

"Oh, right,"

"Yeah, ' _oh_ '. You're pretty slow on the uptake, huh?" She teased. Gohan looked offended,

"I was just distracted, that's all!" he defended. Eighteen smirked,

"Hmm, was my beauty too much for you?" She said. Gohan flushed, waving his hands,

"No! That's not… I mean, why would you even have... ," he stuttered. Eighteen laughed at his consternation,

"Nevermind that. Where do you usually train? We'll go there so you can start teaching me." she said. Gohan perked up at the change in subject,

"Just follow me!" He commanded, patting his chest. They sped up, cutting through the fluffy clouds.

* * *

Gohan and Eighteen stood in his training clearing. Gohan had quickly retrieved his training gi, which he now wore. Eighteen appraised his outfit,

 _"Not bad looking,"_ she mused, waiting for him to start the lesson. Gohan cleared his throat,

"Ki is energy needed to live. As such, every living thing possesses it," he repeated, holding a finger up in the air, "A handful of humans are able to harness it through intense training and meditation; though there are many alien species capable of controlling it without such training," he explained. Eighteen nodded, looking at a perfect example of just such a person.

"Your body is already plenty strong enough, thanks to your enhancements. So, we'll move straight to harnessing your ki," He instructed, "Your ki resides in the core of your being, waiting to be tapped into. You must focus on your core. _F_ _eel_ the energy, and draw it out." He opened his eyes, finished with his explanation, "I'll demonstrate, then you'll give it a try!" He said.

"Alright, _sensei_ ," she complied. Gohan blushed and shook his head,

"Y.. You don't have to call me that!" he said. Eighteen giggled. Gohan sat cross legged on the ground, and motioned for her to take a seat near him.

"Watch closely," he instructed. He focused internally, reaching for the familiar location of his core. Resisting the urge to draw on his new mystic ki, he pulled out some of his normal energy; sending it through his arms into a small ball in his hands. Unknown to him, Eighteen had drawn close, peering at the ball of energy. He opened his eyes to see golden locks, noticing how close they were.

Gohan froze, and the ball of energy disappeared. Eighteen looked up,

 _"Why'd he stop? I wasn't done looking,"_ she thought. Gohan was panicking,

 _"Why is she so close!?"_ He couldn't bring himself to move, and the 'ball-of-heat-that-was-most-certainly-not-ki' had returned. Eventually, fate took pity on him and Eighteen backed up. She looked at his red face curiously, but made no comment. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes,

 _"Okay, so… focus on my core,"_ She recited, trying to ignore her surroundings. In her head, she imagined a core of energy; willing it to respond to her. However, there seemed to be some kind of buzzing getting in the way of interacting with it. She persevered for an hour, determined to succeed.

Gohan had recovered from his little fit and was observing her intently, waiting for results, _"She seems to be having difficulty. I thought this would be simple for someone who is used to using energy, even if it_ is _a different kind."_ he thought, wondering what might be causing her problems. Then he realized,

 _"If I can't sense her ki, then she probably can't either! Is the machinery preventing her from finding her core? Or maybe, she simply can't interact with it?"_ he wondered.

He considered it for a while, _"Maybe if she did that…_ , _"_ he thought.

"Eighteen," he called, getting her attention. She frowned, annoyed at being interrupted,

 _"This doesn't seem to be working,"_ she thought, _"Maybe I should ask for advice?"_

"I… think you should turn your reactor off," He told her. Eighteen froze in shock,

 _"Turn… my reactor off? I've never done that before,"_ She thought. Her hands shook slightly, _"Without my energy… I'm defenseless! My body may be durable, but there are plenty of things that can hurt me without energy reinforcing it."_

She bit her lip, _"Am I so reliant on my power, that I can't even bear to be without it for a second? I'm not some little girl!"_ she fumed. She felt a hand on her shoulder,

"Hey, I know letting your guard down can be scary," He comforted her, "But you don't need to worry, I'll protect you," he assured. Eighteen stared into sincere black eyes. A hot feeling appeared in her stomach, pulling this way and that. Suddenly, she couldn't bear to look at him any longer, averting her eyes. She nodded,

"Thanks... I know you will," Suddenly, she realized she was no longer scared. She turned her focus inward, interacting with the processor that governed the use of her energy. She only hesitated for a second before turning the reactor off.

Gohan felt a distinct change in her presence. It felt like turning off a fan that had been on for hours; he had gotten used to it being on, so it felt strange now that it was off.

 _"That must be the feeling of her energy reactor! Does that mean I can actually sense it on some level?"_ His thoughts cut off when a new feeling hit him, _"Her ki! I can feel it!"_ Without the obstructing 'noise' of the generator, Eighteen's life energy now became apparent.

Eighteen opened her eyes to a very excited Gohan, "It worked! I can feel your energy now!" he enthused, "Now you should have no trouble tapping into it!"

She smiled at his enthusiasm, before re-entering her meditation; ready to try again. Slowly, wisps of lavender ki rose from her skin like mist; a small ball of energy took form in her hands.

 _"She already has enough ki to emit an aura! Is this because of her experience with manipulating energy?"_ Gohan wondered. At this point he was vibrating with excitement. He couldn't believe her rapid progress.

Eighteen's eyes opened once again, though this time she was smiling beatifically, _"I did it! This is ki!"_ She looked at her new teacher. He was actually jumping up and down, pumping his fists and laughing. She stood and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She took a deep breath,

"I did it! Gohan, I really did! Now I can get even stronger!" She shouted in joy, so happy she couldn't control her emotions. Gohan returned her hug and spun them around happily.

"Haha! You really did! I'm so proud of you! It's only been a few hours and you've already come so far!" At some point they had fallen down, Eighteen lying atop him; both still laughing. It was Eighteen who realized their position first, slowly pushing herself up off him; expertly hiding her embarrassment.

Gohan sat up as well, suddenly quiet after he had realized the position they had been in. He didn't hide his embarrassment anywhere near as well. He looked up at the position of the sun.

"Uh… it's about lunch time. You want to have lunch at my house? My mom's a great cook," he enticed her. Eighteen shook her head,

"Maybe some other time, I have a shoot in a few hours. I'll grab something to eat on my way there," she declined. Gohan nodded, somewhat disappointed,

"Alright then. When are we going to have our next training session?" he asked. Eighteen looked at him curiously,

"I already unlocked my ki. Why would we need to keep training?" She asked, genuinely curious. Gohan looked at her incredulously,

"You've only just unlocked your ki! You hardly even know anything about it! Ki is the most mysterious force in the world. Many martial artists have dedicated their lives to it's study and barely scratched the surface," he said. Eighteen looked shocked,

 _"It can't be that hard right?"_ She thought. She never had trouble controlling her energy.

"So there's more to this ki stuff?" she asked. Gohan nodded,

"Way more! If you want to get strong with any kind of speed, then you need to train with someone experienced." He crossed his arms and smiled smugly, "Lucky for you, your friend here spent his entire life learning the finer points of ki manipulation."

Eighteen smiled at his playful arrogance, "Alright. Let's meet up tomorrow at that park so we can get you a phone," she said. Gohan tilted his head,

"Wait. Why do I need a phone?" he asked. Eighteen sighed,

"We both have busy schedules. The phone will give us a way to contact each other, and set up training times."

"Oh! Yeah, that makes sense. But, I don't have the money to buy a phone," he worried.

"I'll pay for it. You _are_ offering to train me, so it's the least I can do," she offered. Gohan nodded his acceptance. It would be useful, after all.

Eighteen went to take off, but stumbled and almost fell, _"What the… why can't I fly?"_

Gohan chuckled, "I told you it wasn't so easy to use ki. You may want to turn your energy reactor back on!" he advised.

Eighteen hid her embarrassment with a cool flick of her hair; turning on the reactor and taking to the air without a word. Gohan waved after her, "See you tomorrow, Eighteen!" he shouted.

* * *

A/N: This chapter took longer than expected. I thought I could get it done yesterday. I guess that's what happens when you try to make your chapters longer.

This chapter was almost entirely conversation, I hope you guys didn't get bored. I'll try to work in some more fight scenes, soon. I'm a bit worried that Eighteen is still acting OOC, but I also like the way I portrayed her, here. I'll keep thinking on it.

Edit: I noticed a few places where I used semi-colons incorrectly. Nobody commented on it, so I guess you guys didn't notice (or didn't feel like pointing it out), but it bothered me so I fixed them. There were a few that I wasn't sure about, so I just went with my gut when deciding whether to remove them or not.


	14. Chapter 14: Long-Awaited Rematch

Chapter 14: Long-Awaited Rematch

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Goku sent forth lightning fast punches and kicks, cutting the air.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" He rhythmically chanted, pacing his exercise. He wore massive red training weights, unbelievably heavy. Sweat rolled off his brow as he continued exerting himself without his super saiyan power.

 _"King kai said I'm having some visitors soon. I wonder who they are? Maybe Baba? I can't think of anyone else who can travel between the earth and otherworld."_ He thought.

He continued striking the air, adding a jump every once in a while to mix things up. He was panting and wheezing from exertion, but continued pushing himself.

 _"I know I can still get a lot stronger! Even if I am dead, I don't want to fall behind Vegeta and Gohan!"_ He smiled as he thought of his son and his rival, _"I wonder how they're doing right now? I WONDER HOW STRONG THEY'VE GOTTEN?!"_ He thought, drooling at the idea of fighting either of them. Or maybe both at the same time? _"Oh man! That would be so much fun!"_

He inadvertently transformed in his excitement, his punches and kicks hitting the air so hard it caused shockwaves. _"If I ever want to do that, I'll have to become WAY stronger! Man, I can't wait to see them again! ...Chichi and Bulma and Krillin and the others, too."_ he amended.

He stopped his shadow boxing, noticing he had transformed, "Whoopsy!" He looked at the torn up ground, ripped up trees, and craters that had been caused by his careless attacks.

"Hehe! Big whoops!" He laughed, nervously.

* * *

Chichi sang happily as she cooked breakfast for her two little black holes. She seemed to have a sparkling aura surrounding her; demonstrating her overwhelming joy,

 _"La la la, I'll finally get to see my husband after four years!"_ She exulted. _"La la la, I finished with that stupid gravity training so I won't be incapacitated on Kin kei's planet!"_ She sang, completely butchering a certain deity's name.

They were going to visit Otherworld in a week, and she couldn't contain her excitement. She could just hug Dende; he was obviously not a delinquent like that Piccolo. She twirled as she set food on the table, humming loudly.

 _"Those two should smell the food in three… two… one!"_ The sound of a door bursting open and little feet tapping rang out. Goten ran into the dining room, already drooling,

"BREAKFAST!" he yelled, jumping into a high chair; he still wasn't tall enough to use the regular chairs. He grabbed his utensils, but didn't start eating; grudgingly waiting for the 'ok' from his mother. He looked at her pitifully.

Chichi smiled warmly at her adorable baby, "Not yet, Goten. We have to wait for Gohan!" She chided.

"Aww! But I'm hungry!" He whined. At the same time the door opened, revealing a tall and tired young man; trying futilely to put his hair in order. He yawned as he took a seat,

"G'morning, mom, Goten," he greeted, sleepily. Goten had begun eating the moment Gohan's butt touched the seat,

"Mwouring!" He said. Chichi huffed,

"Goten, don't talk with your mouth full!" she scolded him. Goten swallowed and apologized. Gohan chuckled and began eating. After they had finished, Gohan eyed his little brother speculatively.

 _"Lately, I've been spending less time with Goten. I've been so preoccupied with training and helping Eighteen that I kinda overlooked the little guy. I need to make it up to him! Maybe we can start on that light training?"_ He called to his brother,

"Hey, Goten!" The near four year old looked up, curiously, "You want to spend today with me?" he asked. Goten face lit up,

"YEAH! We can play! And chase lizards! And fish! And… ," Goten continued listing fun activities. Gohan laughed at his enthusiasm,

"Alright, let's go have fun!" He said.

* * *

They played together for several hours before Goten finally ran out of steam. Now, Gohan lay on the grass near a crystal clear lake, head laying in his hands; Goten sleeping sprawled on his chest.

 _"Just one more week, and you'll finally get to meet dad!"_ Gohan thought. He was excited to see his father, but also a little hesitant. He didn't know what he would say to him. Even if he knew it wasn't his fault, it still hurt knowing that his actions led to his father's death. It still hurt that Goku didn't come back.

 _"I wish Eighteen were here,"_ He sighed. _"She always makes me feel better."_

He was beginning to notice that he felt differently about her than anyone else. He didn't quite understand what the feeling was, but he knew that he liked being around her. He knew he liked the way she looked, the way she acted, her scent, her voice. But what did that mean?

 _"She's been busy with work, lately. I guess they're wrapping up the final shots for this new movie."_ Despite her desire to grow stronger, they hadn't had a training session for a while. He knew she was frustrated, because she called occasionally and told him so; but, he hadn't expected to feel so much frustration himself. He shook his head,

 _"My thoughts have turned to Eighteen, again. That keeps happening! I was supposed to be thinking about the visit to otherworld!"_ He thought. He carefully set Goten on the ground, trying not to wake him, _"I should get some training in! It might clear my head."_

He walked to the edge of the lake, and focused on his core; reaching for mystic ki. He grasped onto it, and drew out as much as he could. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he quietly struggled to control this strange energy. Carefully, he pulled it to the surface; causing it to surround his body in a film.

 _"That's my limit! I know there's more of this ki, but I can't control any more of it! What would happen if I could fully access it? My battle with Piccolo showed me how powerful this energy is; I just need to gain control of it!"_ He grated. He stood there, trying to maintain the weak aura as long as he could. It was only a few minutes before it dispersed, and Gohan fell to a knee; panting from exertion.

"Whoa!" Gohan heard a small voice. Goten had awoken and seen the moment before the aura dispersed. "THAT WAS SO COOL!" Goten exclaimed. "Do it again!"

Gohan shook his head, "Sorry, little bro, I'm all out of steam. Maybe I'll show you some other time." He smiled, still sweating. He motioned Goten over,

"It's about time to go home. Come on, I'll give you a piggyback ride." He offered. Goten perked up,

"Yayyy! Piggyback!" He shouted in glee. He climbed on Gohan's back.

Gohan turned back to him, "Hang on tight! We're going superspeed!" He took off into the forest much faster than before.

* * *

Gohan held his hands out in front of him, catching Eighteen's punches easily. He had been teaching her a proper fighting form, seeing as she didn't really have one. With her inexhaustible energy, she could rely on simple punches and kicks without any real technique. However, ki wasn't limitless; so she couldn't use her haphazard style anymore.

Eighteen panted with exertion. She was not used to being tired. Especially not after the pitiful amount of exertion she had put forth.

 _"I don't get how they do it! Being so low on energy feels awful!"_ She complained, mentally. Her energy reactor was off so she could access her ki. _"If only I could use my ki and energy together. It'll take forever for my ki to catch up to the amount of energy my reactor can produce! Until it has, it won't really be useful."_ She thought.

She persevered, trying to pierce Gohan's formidable guard. She internally raised her ki, trying to catch him off guard with a sudden speed increase. However, he just danced out of the way. Her eye twitched in annoyance. While she was attacking, Gohan took the time to leisurely chat with her,

"Hey, Eighteen, how come you have a habit of keeping your energy internal?" he asked, deflecting an uppercut. Eighteen didn't stop her attack as she answered,

"It's more efficient! Why waste energy creating an aura, when you could use every last drop of it for your attack!" She grunted. Gohan's eyes widened,

"Well, raising your ki externally is faster!" he defended. His group of friends always raised their ki externally. He had never considered the merits of doing otherwise. It was like wondering if you walked correctly; most wouldn't give it a second's thought. He pondered this new idea as Eighteen's attack continued. Then he remembered something he hadn't told her yet.

"Next week, I may not be available for a few days," he said, "I'm going to otherworld to visit my dad."

Eighteen stopped, and stared at him, "You're going to the afterlife to visit your dead father?" she asked.

Gohan nodded, "Yeah! Goten, mom, and I get to spend a few days visiting him. It'll be great to see him again!"

Eighteen sighed, "Nothing about your life is normal, Gohan." The incredibly powerful cyborg said. Gohan chuckled at her reaction.

He smirked at her, "Too tired to keep going?"

She snorted, "As if!"

* * *

It was three days to departure, when Vegeta showed up on their doorstep.

"Gohan, You and I are _going_ to fight. I know you're going to visit the overworld soon. You'll end up sparring with Kakarot. I'm going to defeat you now! That way when you crush Kakarot, I'll know for sure that I'm stronger!" He shouted.

Gohan had had enough of Vegeta's arrogance, "Fine! If you're so desperate to be knocked down a peg or two, I'll help you out!" he said, uncharacteristically brash, "Hell, why don't we invite an audience!" He continued.

He reached out mentally for Dende, _"Hey Dende, do you think you can contact everyone and ask them to come to the lookout?"_ he asked.

 _"Gohan, if you're going to beat up Vegeta, I'll gladly broadcast it to the entire universe!"_ Dende replied, enthusiastically.

Vegeta snorted, "Go ahead and invite all the weaklings, we'll show them the power they'll never have!" He took to the air, flying towards the lookout. Gohan followed, after calling the nimbus for Goten and his mother.

"Hey, mom, are Gohan and Trunks' dad fighting?" Goten asked.

"It seems so, sweetie," Chichi sighed.

"Cool!" he exclaimed. Chichi sighed more deeply.

 _"Can't we go to otherworld peacefully?"_ She dismayed.

* * *

They had all gathered on the platform above a vast desert. Even Tien had shown up. However, Krillin was more surprised by a certain android's presence.

 _"What is Eighteen doing here!? Oh man, my gi is all roughed up from training! She'll think I'm some kind of slob!"_ He slapped his face a few times, working up courage to approach the beautiful woman, _"Just act natural, Krillin! She turned you down last time, but it's been years! Maybe she'll change her mind?"_

He walked up to her nonchalantly, "Hey there, Eighteen! Fancy meeting you here!" He started, "uh, why are you here anyway?" he asked. Eighteen wore a blank expression, except for a small frown. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes,

"I'm here to watch Gohan's fight." She said, turning her eyes back to the figure far below on the sand. Krillin's eyes widened at her answer,

 _"Gohan's fight? Why would she be interested in that? They hardly even know each other, right?"_ he wondered.

"Uh, if you don't mind my asking, why are you interested in Gohan's fight?" he questioned. Eighteen shut her eyes in annoyance,

"Because, he's my friend and I want to show my support." She admitted. Krillin gaped,

 _"Gohan is friends with Eighteen! When did this happen!"_ he thought.

"Now hold on just a second!" A new voice entered the conversation, "Since when is my little boy friends with the harlot that tried to kill my Goku!" Chichi fumed. Eighteen's eye twitched,

"Who are you calling a harlot," She asked, icily. The slightly taller blonde woman stared Gohan's mother down. However, Chichi didn't give an inch; glaring back intensely.

"The woman who is obviously trying to seduce my son! You're only interested in him because he's the strongest man on the planet!" She accused.

Eighteen's teeth grit, but she held her cool. She flipped her hair, ignoring the lasers Chichi was shooting at her with her eyes and dropped off the platform; coming to rest in the air a few hundred meters above the desert. She knew Chichi couldn't follow her there. A scream of frustration rang out from the platform.

* * *

Krillin lay spread eagle on the platform, tears rolling down the side of his face,

 _"I should have known! That time Gohan joked that he would ask her out; it was an omen! Damn it, there's no way I can compete with him. He's stronger than me, AND more handsome!"_ he despaired. Yamcha was kneeling next to him, patting his shoulder sympathetically.

"Y'know, this kind of reminds me of when Bulma chose Vegeta over me!" he said, not realizing he was causing more damage.

 _"Ahhhhahahaaa! Does this mean I'm on the same level as Yamcha! How can life be so cruel?!"_ He cried.

Master Roshi was also lying on the ground, having laughed so hard he passed out. He would make sure to congratulate Gohan later.

Tien and Piccolo stood by the edge of the platform, arms crossed, waiting for the fight to start; Chiaotzu was playing with Puar; Goten and Trunks were arguing over who would win the fight; Bulma was trying to decide who to root for; Chichi was still fuming.

Dende stepped forward, gaining everyone's attention. He cleared his throat,

"Welcome everyone, to the room of Life and Desolation!" He began his speech, "In this room there is no need to hold your power back; it can take anything you throw at it!" He explained for those who had never been there, "Now, some of you must be worried that you won't be able to keep up with the fight! However there is no need for that; As the creator of this room I can broadcast all events that occur as they happen!"

He waved his arm sending forth a ball of crystal clear ki. It stopped in the air above the platform, stretching and flattening into a transparent circular screen. Slowly, an image of Gohan and Vegeta, miles below, appeared on the screen! The crowd gasped and clapped. Dende preened a little at their awe.

" _Finally, I get to show off my incredible powers!"_ He thought. Piccolo smirked, proud of his student's skillful use of his abilities. "Not only that, but it also transmits sound!" There was a chorus of 'oohs' and 'ahs'. Dende soaked up the attention… until Gohan started to speak.

* * *

"Are you ready for this, Vegeta? I'm going all out from the start; I don't want to bore everyone." He asked.

Vegeta scowled, "I was born ready for battle! Show me everything you have; I don't like meaningless victories."

Gohan snorted, his confidence in his abilities was apparent, _"Vegeta's strong, but I have a trump card; mystic ki. He can't sense it at all, and he doesn't even know I have it! On the plus side, he's probably strong enough not to die if I overdo it. Mystic ki is really powerful, after all!"_

Gohan reflected on the past year of avoiding Vegeta's challenges, _"I kind of regret that now. I should have taken the opportunity for a powerful sparring partner! Maybe I would already have a handle on my mystic ki?"_ He thought. _"If I act this lax in the future, Vegeta may just surpass me! I won't let that happen! I mean… what would Eighteen think if I lost to Vegeta?"_ That last thought was a bit different than the others. He shook his head, preparing for the fight ahead.

Gohan prepared to power up, until he remembered what Eighteen had said,

 _"Keep your ki internal to reduce waste. Should I give that a try?"_ He wondered. Vegeta interrupted his thoughts,

"HAAAAAHHH!" Golden light exploded from his body, bringing with it a shower of electricity. Gohan could feel the depths of his ki,

 _"As I would expect from Vegeta! He hasn't been slacking off! And the power of Super Saiyan 2 is incredible! I'll be hard pressed to match it... but I can do it."_ He thought, impressed by Vegeta's strength.

Gohan clenched his fists, and closed his eyes. He reached for the familiar power of a Super Saiyan, _"Maybe I should show off, too? I can worry about keeping my ki internal afterward."_ He thought, subconsciously desiring to impress a certain person.

Instead of showing sheer power, Gohan demonstrated control. A film of white aura wrapped it's way up his body. He opened eyes that had already turned blue,

"Haa!" he grunted. The white aura flashed and became golden, swirling serenely around him in comparison to Vegeta's violent display. His hair had taken on the golden hue as well, spiking more than usual. He faced Vegeta with resolve.

"Alright, Let's go!"

* * *

Eighteen watched in rapture as Gohan transformed, _"I've never actually seen him in that form. It's quite something."_ She thought, cheeks tinged with pink, _"And his power is incredible!"_ She continued, using her newly acquired ki sense. She had turned off her reactor in anticipation of this battle, _"Even though Vegeta ascended one step further, they're nearly even."_

She thought back to her battle with Vegeta after she first awakened, and smirked, _"It'd be funny if Gohan breaks his arm!"_

* * *

The fight began, both fighters ramping up to high-speed in an instant. Gohan was doing his best to keep his ki internal, despite being at max power. They exchanged powerful blows, over and over. Finally, Vegeta broke through Gohan's defense; taking the chance to pummel him across the landscape.

" _Damn! My concentration slipped."_ Gohan thought, preparing a ki blast to halt Vegeta's charge, _"If I can't stop his momentum, I'll lose the battle right here!"_ He fired the blast at Vegeta, forcing him to deflect it. However, the blast miraculously dodged around his arm and slammed into his face; interrupting his flight and providing Gohan an opening for a comeback!

" _Haha! Thank you Master Roshi; for all those ki control exercises! And thank you Piccolo for showing me the Hellzone Grenade! Utilizing ki blasts you can control after firing is incredibly useful!"_ Gohan exulted. He charged in, to return the beating Vegeta had just given him, _"Focus on keeping your ki internal! Vegeta has more raw power than me, so I have to beat him in efficiency!"_ He reminded himself.

He slammed a fist into the still stunned Vegeta's face, knocking him through the air. Gohan vanished, reappearing in Vegeta's flight path; stopping his momentum with a knee to the back. He prepared an elbow to slam him into the desert floor, but Vegeta recovered before he could; letting out a burst of ki to knock Gohan away from him. Gohan stabilized himself in the air.

"AAAHHH!" Vegeta yelled in frustration, charging at his opponent. Gohan met his fist with his own, causing the air around them to burst violently. They exchanged more of these powerful blows, shaking the atmosphere. Vegeta's aura flared violently while Gohan passively concentrated his energy inside his body. Slowly Gohan began to overpower him,

 _"What's this? I feel like I'm getting stronger!"_ He thought, incredulously. He blocked a right from Vegeta, batting it out of the way and delivering a devastating blow to the stomach. Vegeta hunched over in pain; Gohan slammed a knee into his face, knocking him up a meter before spin kicking him into a floating island.

He took a moment during the lull in battle to examine his own body, _"Is that mystic ki? It's spreading through my body on it's own! What's going on!"_

He didn't have long to think about it. The crater Vegeta had been lodged in exploded,

"Haaaah!" Vegeta screamed, bringing his power to the limit, "I won't go on about how I'm destined to win," Vegeta said, surprisingly calm. "I've realized that my own overconfidence has been the reason for my many failures. Gohan! You are a powerful warrior! As one who holds Saiyan blood, you should be proud of yourself! Now quit holding back! Show me your pride as a Saiyan warrior!" Vegeta commanded.

Gohan had heard Vegeta give speeches about Saiyan pride before, but never really understood what he meant, _"I think I understand now, Vegeta! The stirring in my blood, the desire to go all out against a suitable opponent!"_ He circulated the mystic ki through his body feeling his strength grow and his fatigue fade. He raised his ki, struggling to keep all the power contained within him.

* * *

Vegeta watched as Gohan drew out all his power, _"That's the way, Gohan. I can accept defeat at your hands, but only if you give everything you have to this fight. I'll measure myself against you, and use that to become even stronger! Win or lose; this is a battle worth fighting!"_

He noticed Gohan had finished powering up, and took his stance. He raised a hand in front of him, beckoning to Gohan, "Let's finish this!"

* * *

As the battle had taken itself far away from the realm's entrance, Eighteen had ascended back to the platform to watch it on the screen Dende had created. She watched as her teacher and friend demonstrated power of which she had never seen the like.

 _"So this is Gohan's strength? Will I ever reach that level?"_ She wondered. Her thoughts were interrupted by some rather noisy spectators.

"Oh, man! How could those two get so strong! This is totally unfair!" A recovered Krillin shouted. "How are we supposed to keep up with monsters like them?," He asked, rhetorically.

Eighteen's eye twitched, _"Gohan isn't a monster. He's the sweetest guy I know!"_ She defended, internally. She didn't bother commenting on Vegeta's monster status.

Krillin felt a chill crawl up his spine; he looked around for the source, noticing that Eighteen was glaring at him, _"Oh, lord! She looks angry! What did I do?"_ He suddenly remembered that Eighteen was 'friends' with Gohan, _"She's that upset because I implied Gohan is a monster! She really does like him!"_ The despair he had finally overcome was back.

* * *

Bulma was staring at the screen with tears in her eyes, _"Oh, Vegeta! You've really changed, haven't you!"_ She had been worried when Dende had told her about their fight. Maybe Vegeta was going back to his old violent ways? But, his speech just now had put her worries to rest, _"I'm so proud of you, dear! You've finally overcome your massive ego!"_

* * *

Vegeta and Gohan stood poised for battle in the air. Both were using all of their power, ready to finish the battle. Silence spread out as they took stock of the other. Finally, Vegeta moved,

"Haaa!" He threw forward a fist pulsing with electricity...

* * *

A/N: Cliffhanger! I don't like doing this, but the chapter is long enough; I think this is a good point to end. So, Vegeta seems to have grown during these two years; strength and spirit. Gohan is slowly learning how to control his mystic ki. The next chapter should come out over the weekend, so look forward to the fight's conclusion!


	15. Chapter 15: Departure

Chapter 15: Departure

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Gohan thrust out a palm to catch Vegeta's fist. They met with a bang, struggling to overpower the other. Vegeta thrust his other fist, which Gohan caught as well.

 _"Where is he getting this strength from? His ki hasn't risen that much!"_ Vegeta thought. _"Is he using some kind of new technique? Kakarot had that Kaioken to increase strength. Though, I'm pretty sure he isn't using that. Nghhh! I hate being in the dark like this!"_ He growled in frustration.

As Gohan slowly pushed his fists back, Vegeta couldn't help but notice a slight change in Gohan's appearance, _"Are his eyes red, or are mine playing tricks on me?"_

He realized he wasn't going to win this struggle, so he pulled back suddenly; raising his legs to catch Gohan in the gut, thrusting him into the air. He shot a ki blast, which Gohan knocked away. He burst towards the half-saiyan, aiming a kick at his neck. Gohan dodged and retaliated with an uppercut, splitting air with it's pressure. Vegeta barely avoided it, though he received a cut on his jaw for his efforts.

Before Gohan could draw his arm back, Vegeta coated his leg with ki; swinging out and sending an arc of power at him. Gohan sent a kiai forward, shattering the wave; then sent another to blast Vegeta away. This new distance gave him time for a powerful move. He crouched into a familiar stance, quickly performing the movements for the attack he had been practicing for the past two years.

"Ka… Me… Ha… Me… Haaaa!" Gohan shouted, shooting his hands forward and launching a wave of energy.

Vegeta was unfazed as the beam traveled towards him, _"It may have impressive power, but what's the point if it can't hit me?"_ he thought, easily dodging out of the way. He prepared his own counter attack to take advantage of Gohan's defenseless state. He saw Gohan wave his hands strangely, but ignored it in favor of preparing his _Galick Gun_.

* * *

Master Roshi, consciousness regained, watched his student prepare his signature move.

"Vegeta… you're about to witness the culmination of two years of effort. If you let your guard down you'll be burned." He said. Everyone looked at the old martial artist. Yamcha spoke up,

"Hey, old man, what are you talking about?" he asked. Roshi's glasses glinted, staring at the screen,

"Well, just watch. It'll become clear soon." He advised. They turned back to the screen to watch the outcome.

Eighteen looked at the old man, _"So that's the master Gohan has been training under for two years? He doesn't look like much."_ She thought. _"What does he expect Gohan to do when he left himself wide open after that Kamehameha?"_ She couldn't help worrying about her friend.

Roshi seemed to feel her eyes on him. He stared back soberly, before slowly making his way over to her. He stopped a few feet away. They stared at each other, though it was hard to tell with Roshi's sunglasses obscuring his eyes.

"Hmmm… So, you're Gohan's student? Not bad… not bad at all. Perhaps a 'B'... no, maybe a 'C'," He mused.

 _"Is he measuring my strength? I'm only strong enough for a 'C'?!"_ She fumed.

Roshi's cheeks turned red and his nostrils released steam, "DEFINITELY A 'C'!" he yelled.

Eighteen finally realized what he was talking about. She clenched her fists and grit her teeth in anger, _"This bastard is talking about my breasts!"_ A fist shot out, catching the old pervert right in the nose; sending him skidding across the platform.

Everyone on the platform turned to see the commotion, but quickly realized what happened and turned back; ignoring Roshi's predicament. Krillin covered his face with his hands,

 _"This is the man I call master,"_ he unintentionally repeated words he had uttered before.

Eighteen was tempted to continue pummeling the old pervert, but she didn't want to miss anymore of Gohan's fight. Besides, Gohan would be upset if his master died; pervert or not. She dropped her arms and took a few deep breaths; attempting to disperse her fury.

* * *

Gohan smirked as he saw Vegeta prepare his _Galick Gun_ , _"You might think you have the advantage, but my attack isn't done!"_ He moved both hands to the side, _"The galick gun takes time to charge, but my attack has already been fired!"_ He thought, as the Kamehameha curved behind his opponent; aiming at his unprotected back.

The blue beam slammed into his back, taking him completely by surprise,

"Aaaaugh!" He screamed. The energy tore through his armor, leaving scorch marks on his spandex. He was pushed through dozens of sand dunes, before the beam finally exploded.

"Ngghh!" He grunted in pain, trying to stand. Rivulets of blood leaked down his arms and forehead, _"Damn! He always has another trick up his sleeve! I put in so much effort just to attain this level of power and he has time to experiment?! I've never seen a Kamehameha do that!"_ He cursed. His entire body ached, and the burns on his back sent twangs of pain intermittently.

" _Stand, Dammit! This fight isn't over until I've given everything I've got!"_ He commanded himself.

Gohan closed in on Vegeta, determined to finish the fight, _"Circulating mystic ki has increased my power greatly, but the strain of keeping my energy internal is starting to take it's toll! I can only last a minute or two longer; then, I'll collapse from exhaustion! I have to finish this, now!"_

He saw Vegeta; bleeding and struggling to stand, "Vegeta, surrender! I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have!" He pleaded. Vegeta glared at him in fury,

"It seems you still don't understand a Saiyan's pride!" Vegeta grated, "I will not give up until I can't move. Until my body has given out on me. Do you hear me, Gohan! As long as I can still fight, I will never give in!" He yelled. He stood straight and ripped off the remnants of his ruined armor. "This fight isn't over yet!"

Gohan nodded, "If that's what you want, then I guess I'll have to knock you unconscious. That way you'll have to stop!" he decided. Vegeta snorted, ignoring Gohan's arrogant remark.

"Haaa!" Vegeta released his aura, ignoring the pain it cause him to do so.

He launched at Gohan, elbow readied to strike. Gohan met it with his own elbow. He retaliated with a punch, blurring into Vegeta's ribs,

"Urrrgh!" Vegeta grunted. He backed up a step, cringing from pain; then, shook it off. He sent forth a wave of ki, but Gohan simply punched it; scattering the ki it consisted of. Gohan vanished, reappearing behind Vegeta; aiming a chop at his neck. However, Vegeta used his forearm to block it. Unfortunately, Vegeta wasn't able to dodge the knee to his solar plexus that had been sent at the same time.

"Owwah!" He spat. Gohan pulled his arm back, palm facing forward,

"It's time to end this, Vegeta. Don't worry, this shouldn't kill you." he assured. His hand glowed with sparkling red ki. He sent it forward, colliding with Vegeta's chest; sending a shockwave through his body and out the other side. It kicked up a huge gust, sending sand flying. Vegeta's pupil's had shrunk until they disappeared. He dropped to his knees, unable to stand any longer. His mouth wide open in a silent scream of pain.

Gohan stood there, panting heavily. His eyes faded back to blue, unable to continue using the mystic ki, _"I'm all out. That last attack used up the rest of my mystic ki. It's a good thing I was able to finish it with that."_ He sighed in relief, _"Vegeta is really amazing! Even when my power started increasing, he didn't give up! I never thought much of his pride, but maybe there is an element of nobility to it? That last speech of his was pretty cool!"_ He thought in admiration. He let his ki drop, finally able to relax now that the battle was over.

Vegeta began to fall over, unable to keep his body upright. However before he hit the ground, his fist clenched and stopped his descent!

"Uhyakk!" he coughed, spitting up blood. He wheezed, air struggling to make it's way into his lungs. His pupil's slowly reappeared; his consciousness returning. He continued breathing hard, pumping his chest. He slowly put his legs beneath, struggling once more to stand.

Gohan watched in awe as Vegeta righted himself with sheer willpower, _"How can he still stand after receiving that blow?!"_ he thought.

Vegeta swaying side to side, opened his mouth, " _I… will not… fall! This… fight… isn't over!"_ He gasped. He raised his head to the sky, " _It's not… OVER!_ " he yelled, drawing all the ki he had left out. He punched Gohan before he could react, sending him into the air. He appeared in the course of Gohan's flight, ready to kick him back down to earth. However, Gohan spun and met the kick with his own.

" _Damn, the fatigue from using so much mystic ki is getting to me! I won't be able to fight like I was before! Vegeta doesn't seem to be affected by his injuries at all; is he in some kind of berserker rage?"_ he thought, trying to figure out his next move. Vegeta didn't give him time.

Gohan felt a fist smash into his jaw, sending him flying once more. Before he could gain his bearings, more blows slammed into him; a flurry of punches from an enraged Vegeta!

He crossed his arms before him, trying to mitigate the damage, _"No! I can't keep this up; my stamina is completely gone!"_ Despite his best efforts, his transformation faded; hair returning to it's natural black color. A fist slammed into his temple; without his Super Saiyan power, Gohan couldn't endure it. His eyes closed and he fell from the sky.

Vegeta watched his opponent, son of his rival, fall to the ground, "I won." he said, unexcited. He looked at his clenched fist; the one that decided the battle, "With this hand, I defeated my most powerful opponent yet. Why does it feel so empty? I should be screaming in joy, shouting my victory to the heavens. Yet, this… feels so… unsatisfying!" He said.

He thought back to the battle, to the strength Gohan had shown; even without the ascended transformation, "The boy is strong! Incredibly so! But, at the end he didn't show that strength. Did his technique end?" He asked the air, "At the end, he was unable to use his full power. That's why this victory feels so... empty." he concluded. He clicked his tongue and dropped to the ground, picking up his unconscious opponent,

"You fought well, Gohan," he praised in a small voice, "Next time, I hope you have better control of your power. I don't want such a hollow victory again," he said. He set off for the platform.

* * *

Everyone on the platform stared at the screen in shock. Gohan had lost to Vegeta. They had come here thinking they already knew the outcome. Gohan, ever since the Cell games, hadn't lost to anyone. He was the strongest! Unbeatable! How could he lose?

Dende was the one who knew most intimately what had happened in this battle. He knew why Gohan had lost, as the only one that could sense his 'mystic ki'.

"To think he would lose because he overused 'that'," He said aloud, drawing everyone's interest. Krillin was the one who spoke first,

"Dende, what happened? What do you mean he overused 'that'?" he asked. Piccolo finally realized what Dende meant and spoke for him,

"He's talking about Gohan's 'mystic ki'," He said, "It appeared after he fully recovered from his training incident."

 _"Mystic ki? This is the first I've heard of it. Why didn't Gohan tell me about it?"_ Eighteen thought. Krillin spoke up once more, asking a question everyone was thinking,

"So… Piccolo, what is 'mystic ki'?"

Piccolo crossed his arms, eyes closed in contemplation, "To be honest… we don't know. All we know is that it's powerful, and holds many mysterious properties." Piccolo opened his eyes, looking at Dende.

"It is almost entirely undetectable. Only Gohan and I can sense it," Dende informed them, "It's strange nature makes it very hard for Gohan to control. He used it in this battle to increase his strength, but it seems he overdid it and drained his stamina. That's why his Super Saiyan transformation suddenly ended; he didn't have the energy to maintain it." he explained.

All the warriors there stared at him in shock,

" _An undetectable energy? If he could fight while only using that energy, it would be like fighting an android!"_ Tien thought, all three eyes wide.

 _"He was using two type of energy together! That means it's possible! Maybe I really can combine my energy with ki?!"_ Eighteen thought.

Bulma stared at them in annoyance, "Anyone want to tell us _normal_ people what's so important about undetectable energy. Eighteen over there has energy like that!" She said, motioning to the beautiful android.

Piccolo answered, "It's important, because it could allow him to thoroughly deceive anyone who relies on ki sensing. In fact, he's done it to me before. Androids can't do that, because we know not to rely on our ki sense at all when fighting one. It's a huge advantage during battle; I'm a little surprised he didn't make better use of it here." he explained.

Tien nodded, elaborating, "He could flare his ki randomly to make his opponent wary of attack, then use mystic ki when their guard is down. His opponent would be so confused, they would have trouble fighting effectively. Unlike the Androids who have no ki, he could use his ki as a decoy to set up traps. The possibilities are endless."

Eighteen took note of his words, _"I have ki and undetectable energy. Should I try working those tactics into my fighting style?"_ She pondered.

* * *

"No! NO WAY! NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY!" Goten shouted. There's no way his brother could lose! Tears of frustration fell as Trunks bragged about how awesome his dad was,

"This is what happens when you challenge _my_ dad!" he grinned, "I mean, Gohan is pretty awesome, but he doesn't hold a candle to my dad!" he gloated. Goten was beating his hands on the ground still yelling 'no way'.

"Such a crybaby," Trunks sighed. He was surprisingly eloquent for his age.

* * *

Vegeta struggled to carry his defeated opponent back to the platform, _"Damn, my injuries are acting up. Without all the adrenaline, I can't ignore the pain anymore!"_ he thought, _"Having to carry this idiot doesn't help any!"_ He set down on an island, taking time to rest.

 _"Grrr! Can't that walking hospital make his way to us!?"_ He complained. His insides felt like mush from the shockwave Gohan had sent through him and his back twinged with pain whenever he moved. After resting for a while, he picked Gohan up again and set off.

 _"Why the hell is this place so big!? When did we move so far away from the center?"_ He continued complaining.

Eventually, he made it back to the platform, much to his and everyone's relief. He set Gohan down, and collapsed into Bulma's arms. Gohan was immediately surrounded by Chichi and Eighteen.

"Oh, my baby! Are you alright!" Chichi wailed. She noticed Eighteen's proximity, and began glaring daggers at her, "And what do you want, harlot? Here to nurse my little boy back to health and gain his affection?! Well, it's not going to work!" she declared.

Eighteen's eyes narrowed, _"I really wish I could just blast her! I cannot stand this woman!"_ She thought. She examined Gohan for injuries, _"Looks like he'll be okay. Just some bruises and a lump on the head,"_ She concluded. She heard a voice clearing behind her,

"Um, excuse me ladies. If you would kindly let me through I could have him healed in minutes," Dende informed them. Eighteen nodded, and stepped away. Chichi glared challengingly at him, but made a little space.

"I swear to whoever is higher than God, if you hurt my baby… ," She warned. Dende gulped and nodded seriously. He placed his hands forward, glowing with energy. The energy surrounded Gohan, causing the bruises and bumps from the fight to fade. He slowly woke up.

His eyes opened to his mother hovering over him, and a crowd of his friends off to the side, "Oh! Hey, mom; everyone!" he said cheerfully. He looked at the beaten form of Vegeta resting in Bulma's arms, "Hey, Dende, why haven't you healed Vegeta yet?" he asked. Dende frowned and turned his head away,

"Do I really have to heal that man? You remember what he did," he responded. Gohan frowned and Bulma spoke up,

"Hey! Vegeta's changed! He's a good man now!" she defended her husband. Gohan nodded in agreement,

"He has, Dende. Please, heal him." he requested. Dende bit his lip and nodded. As soon as he was healed Vegeta stalked through the door leading back to reality. Gohan laughed,

"Haha! Vegeta sure is shy!" he said. Everyone else stared at him in disbelief. Gohan sighed,

"I guess I lost, huh?" he asked, though he knew the answer. Piccolo nodded, solemnly,

"You fought well, kid. If you hadn't run out of energy for another few seconds, I'm sure you would've won." he consoled.

Gohan nodded, smiling wryly, "You know, this is kind of… really frustrating. I've never felt this frustrated after losing a battle," He admitted, "I… really wanted to win." he said, wistfully. The wistful expression faded, and his face scrunched up. He bit his lip until it bled, suppressing tears.

Eighteen stared at him, _"Gohan… ,"_ The expression he was making caused her pain. A kind of pain she didn't really understand, _"I have to say something! I can't stand seeing that expression!"_ she thought. But she couldn't think of what to say. The amount of times she had had to comfort someone fit on one hand!

As if on some kind of instinct, she kneeled down next to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and drew him close. His face was pressed into her shoulder; her cheek against his hair. Gohan started in surprise at the sudden contact, but eventually he leaned into her; wrapping his arms around her in return. He was breathing hard, still trying not to cry; he didn't want to ruin her shirt.

The others stared on in shock, foremost were Krillin and Chichi. Most had the decency to turn away while the two had their moment. Luckily, Master Roshi was still unconscious; lest he ruin it.

* * *

Chichi gaped at the display of affection in front of her, _"Do those two… actually… ,"_ She thought, completely aghast that such a thing could happen while she was unaware. Then shock was replaced with joy, wedding bells ringing in her head, _"It may be a little early for Gohan to marry, but I'll make an exception this time!"_ she thought cheerfully. She rubbed her hands together happily, giggling maniacally, _"It won't be long and I'll finally have GRANBABIES!"_

Krillin felt like he had been struck by lightning, _"So she really does… They really are… ! Aaaah! This is the worst!"_ He screamed mentally, _"So, I really have no chance! I should have known! There's no way I could ever be good enough for someone amazing like her!"_ He cried, berating himself. His shoulders slumped, and he headed for the exit; unable to stand being near his unrequited love.

 _"Maybe I'm just not meant for love? Will I ever feel this way about anyone else?"_ He shook his head, _"No. It's just not possible."_ His shoulders slumped further, _"Maybe I should just focus on training? But even then, Gohan already has me beat! What can I do against an unsurpassable wall like that?"_ he despaired.

 _"A wall! The wall of humanity! I've already broken through it, but didn't Gohan find another wall? I'm a superhuman now, so is there a wall of_ Super _humanity? Can I climb to even greater heights?"_ This new possibility spurred him on, _"There's no_ if _about it! I will overcome my limits! I will get stronger! So what if Super Saiyans are monstrously strong? I'll become a monster, too!"_ He resolved. He left the dimension with his shoulders held high.

* * *

It took Eighteen a few minutes to realize what she had done. She held the young man who had so recently become a fixture in her life, rubbing his back gently. Her cheeks dyed pink as she realized there were still people around them. Gohan's mother was staring at them with stars shining in her eyes, a creepy smile on her face.

 _"God, that is terrifying!"_ She thought. Gohan was still clinging to her, which she didn't dislike. Gohan seemed to have calmed down.

" _Well, at least it worked."_ she shrugged. She remembered that she didn't really care what the people here thought of her, and her embarrassment faded.

She whispered to Gohan, " _Are you alright, now?_ " He nodded; face still pressed against her shoulder. She smiled wryly, " _Are you going to let go of me, now?_ " She heard a mumbled reply that she couldn't make out, " _I can't understand when you talk into my shirt,_ " she chided.

He finally lifted his head, "Do I have to let go?" He asked, "Your shoulder is really comfortable," he grinned.

She smiled mischievously, "Well, _I_ don't mind, but you do realize all of your friends are here?"

Gohan's smile froze and he stiffened. When Eighteen had initiated the hug, everything else had faded for him. He really had forgotten about their audience.

"Not to mention, your mother is… shining… at us," she continued. He slowly released her and backed up, turning his head to his mother and seeing the stars in her eyes.

 _"Wh- why is she so happy? ...she's definitely got some weird idea! I don't know what it is, but it's definitely wrong!"_ he thought. He grabbed her shoulders and shook, "Mom! Mom, snap out of it! Whatever you're daydreaming about is just fantasy!" he pleaded. Eighteen laughed at his desperation.

* * *

Most everyone had left the dimension, talking amongst themselves about the fight. Surprise at Vegeta's victory mixed with shock at the closeness between Gohan and Eighteen. Master Roshi lay on Yamcha's back, having woken and made a comment that caused Eighteen to punch his lights out again.

"Still, I can't believe Gohan and Eighteen are so… familiar," Yamcha commented to Tien, "I mean, poor Krillin, y'know?"

Tien closed two of his eyes, "I care little for Krillin's love problems," he said, "I'm more worried about how to get stronger! Those two are so far out of our league it's not even funny!" he bit out. They continued down the halls of the lookout, heading for the top level, "There has to be a way! I refuse to believe that I can't become as strong as them! NO! Stronger!" He clenched his fists.

Yamcha looked at him, brow raised, "I don't know, man. I gave up on that stuff after fighting the androids. The way I see it, you're running on a treadmill faster than you."

Tien's three eyes glared at him, "Of course you would feel that way! That's why you're so weak." He shook his head, walking away from him.

"Hey, man! You can't just come out and say stuff like that! I have feelings, y'know!" Yamcha yelled after him. He sighed, "At least I'm stronger than Master Roshi," he muttered.

* * *

Three days had passed. Gohan held onto a fidgeting Goten at the lookout. Everyone had gathered once again, to see them off. Well, except Vegeta.

Bulma held Chichi's hands, "When you see him, tell him we all miss him, okay!" Bulma requested.

"Of course I will, Bulma!" She assured. She sighed, "Goku must have missed me terribly for those four years. He'll be crying tears of joy when I show up!" Chichi sobbed. Bulma's eye twitched,

 _"Aren't you more worried about his reaction to meeting his new son?"_ she thought.

Gohan butted in, "I'll make sure to tell him, Bulma!" he said. Bulma sighed, certain that Gohan would keep his promise. Chichi could be so self-centered sometimes.

Krillin stepped up to Gohan, "Hey, Gohan, how strong do you think Goku has gotten?" he grinned, nudging his young friend with his elbow. Gohan laughed,

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's stronger than me, now!" he admitted. Krillin's eyes widened at the comment,

"Oh come on, there's no way! He probably doesn't even have a decent sparring partner!" he exclaimed. Gohan shook his head in exasperation,

"Do you think he would let that stop him from getting stronger! If he had to, he'd train someone up to his level; just to have a decent opponent!" he chuckled. Krillin laughed with him.

"Hey, Gohan? I have to ask; what's going on with you and Eighteen?" Krillin questioned him. Gohan tilted his head in confusion,

"Well, we're friends. Also, I've been training her!" He smiled. Krillin looked at him in exasperation,

 _"This kid is almost as clueless as Goku! 'You're friends' MY ASS! Friends don't act like you two did a few days ago!"_ He thought. He had come to terms with his failed love. He couldn't hold a grudge against Gohan. The kid was just too loveable.

" _Maybe that's why Eighteen fell for him?"_ He thought. He shook his head, _"No point in thinking about it. I don't really need to know why. It'd probably just make me feel bad again."_

"Anyway, Gohan, when you see Goku, tell him the next time we meet I'll be much stronger. I want to become strong enough to beat him! I'll keep training until then!" Krillin requested. Gohan nodded, accepting the request. Krillin waved and walked away.

Tien walked up, taking his place. He stretched forth a hand, which Gohan grasped. They looked in each other's eyes. Tien nodded and released Gohan's hand, walking away again.

"Such a strange man," Chichi commented.

"Mhmm," Bulma agreed. Gohan chuckled.

Piccolo took his turn to say goodbye mentally, _"Tell Goku that I haven't given up on defeating him. I've found my path to become stronger; now I just need to follow it to the end."_ He sent telepathically to his student, _"And, Gohan? I know you're going to fight him… don't lose."_

Gohan smiled at his veiled encouragement, _"I'll do my best, Piccolo"_ he replied. He could hear Piccolo snort despite the distance.

Dende stepped up to the family of three, "It's time to go, you three. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the transfer room." He said. Gohan nodded, while Chichi jumped up and down in excitement. Goten had fallen asleep during the farewells. As they stepped into the building, a figure appeared to be waiting for them,

"Eighteen!" Gohan exclaimed. Eighteen smiled at him,

"Hey, Gohan. I came to see you off," she said, nonchalantly. He smiled back at her. The stars in Chichi's eyes had reappeared. Neither paid her any mind.

"Alright, well… I guess I'll see you in a few days," she said. Gohan nodded,

"Yeah, see you then," he said, quietly. She began walking away, but turned back and approached him. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, placing her lips on his cheek,

"Make sure you come back. I'd hate to have to drag you back to the world of the living," She cautioned. Gohan just stared at her, eyes wide. Chichi had collapsed from happiness. She left the building.

Dende smirked at his awestruck friend, "That's some _friend_ you have there!" he teased. Gohan snapped out of his stupor, but he was still a bit absent-minded,

"Yeah, she's pretty great, isn't she?" he said dreamily. He smiled sloppily, "Let's go to the otherworld, Dende! I'm going to see my dad!" He picked up his mother and followed Dende to the transfer room,

" _Plus, the sooner we go, the sooner we get back and I can see Eighteen!"_ he thought.

* * *

A/N: Whoo! Finally done! I think this chapter came out great! I had some inspiration on that first scene with Gohan and Eighteen. I'm not sure if you guys will like it, but I love it!

On the other hand, Krillin finds resolve to get stronger no matter the difficulty! I feel like he really got the short end of the stick in this fic. Then I proceeded to beat him with said stick.

Another awesome scene with Roshi. I just love writing him; it's so much fun!

Next chapter is in Otherworld! Should be fun!


	16. Chapter 16: Reunion

Chapter 16: Reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own dbz

* * *

 _"Sometimes I wish I could kill Goku,"_ King Kai thought. He had trouble concentrating as his annoying one-time student kept shaking him, _"Then I remember he's already dead!"_

"Aww, come on, King Kai! Can't you tell me who the visitors are? It's a strong guy, right? You wanted to surprise me with an awesome opponent, right? You old dog, you! I never thought you cared that much!" The annoying student in question said; arm slung around the deity's neck and finger poking his cheek.

Veins were throbbing on King Kai's forehead, and he couldn't stop trembling, "GOKU! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU! I DON'T KNOW!" he screamed, desperately hoping his words would finally get through the moron's thick skull. Alas,

"Aww, come on, King Kai! I get that it's supposed to be a surprise, but a little hint won't hurt, right? Just a teensy-tiny wittle hint?" Goku said, beginning to talk like the baby he surely was.

King Kai held his head in despair, "Why do I have to deal with this idiot? Can't someone else take him off my hands? Just for a few days?" He cried.

* * *

The bright light faded and Gohan found himself in a thoroughly strange place. At his feet was a thin white path made of some kind of stone. Below the path that seemed to be floating in the air, was a veritable sea of clouds; stretching further than he could see.

"Why are they orange?" He asked. Dende stumbled,

"What?"

"I asked why they're orange. Clouds are supposed to be white, right?" he repeated.

"I- I don't know Gohan. I never really questioned it,"

"Hmm, seems like a strange choice to me," He commented. He shrugged, tightening his hold on his mother and Goten, _"When are these two going to wake up? They're not heavy, but it's annoying to carry them both,"_ he thought.

Dende noted the situation, "Gohan, make sure none of you fall off the path! It would be terrible if you fell beneath the clouds!" he warned. Gohan nodded. They walked down the path towards a large building resting above the cloud sea.

"Hey, Dende? What is that place?" Gohan asked. A drop of sweat ran down Dende's face,

"You know, Gohan? I'm not a tour guide. If you'd like I can ask them to arrange one, but I'm just here to get you checked in," he said.

Gohan blushed and tried to rub his head, but couldn't; as his hands were full, "Sorry, Dende! I didn't mean to annoy you with questions or anything!" he apologized.

Dende stretched out a finger to the building they were heading to, "Incidentally, that is the checkout station. It's where newly deceased souls go to receive judgement for their actions in life," he explained, dutifully.

As they walked, they passed many white cloud-like things, "Hey, Dende, what are these things? They seem kind of angry at us!" Gohan asked, forgetting his resolve not to continue bothering Dende with questions.

"Those are the souls of the dead I spoke about before. They're angry because we don't have to wait in line," he answered.

"Wait! You mean we're cutting in front of all these people?! Is that OK? I feel kinda bad for them," He asked in shock. Dende shook his head in exasperation,

"I'm the Guardian of Earth, I get certain privileges. If we actually waited in line, it might take years to get to the checkout station!" he informed Gohan, "Besides these souls have the rest of eternity to enjoy their time in heaven, and if they're going to hell then they shouldn't be in a hurry to get there," he finished.

They arrived at the large white building. Inside were blue-skinned people that dressed like office workers, and a huge desk; behind which sat a giant red-skinned man stamping papers. Dende cleared his throat,

"Excuse me, King Yemma! As we agreed two years ago, I have brought three visitors! They're here to see Son Goku!" he said, loudly. The large red man leaned forward, tipping his reading glasses upwards to take a better look,

"Oh, why if it isn't Denden!" He boomed, "Have you got your tickets?"

A vein in Dende's forehead throbbed, _"It's Dende!"_ He thought, vehemently. He plastered a smile on his face, resolving to ignore the unintentional slight, "Yes, King Yemma, I have them right here," he said, using telekinesis to send the small slips of paper up to the desk.

Yemma took a look at them, verifying their authenticity, "Hmm, these seem to be in order. Very well; welcome to the otherworld! Enjoy your stay, but not too much!"

"Huh? Why not?" Gohan asked.

"Because if you like it here too much, you may be tempted to stay; which would be the same as dying!" Dende informed him.

"Oh! Yeah, that would be bad!" Gohan laughed. He noticed Chichi stirring, "Finally, she's waking up!" He set her down, helping her stay on her feet.

"Wha- what? Where am I? I was having the most amazing dream. Gohan was a respectable scholar, Goten had become president of Earth, and I had hundreds of grandbabies to spoil!" She smiled dreamily.

"Uh, mom? We're in the afterlife. We're about to go see dad; don't you remember?" Gohan asked, worried about his mother's mental faculties.

"Wait, Goku? Where is he! It's been so long!" She said, frantically looking around for her husband.

Gohan grimaced, "He's not here. We're about to go to him," he said, careful not to upset her. She was acting a little crazy and that scared him. She marched up to one of the blue-skinned employees,

"Where the hell is my Goku! Take me to him now!" She demanded. The poor guy tried to cringe away in fear, but she had a grip on his tie. He put up his hands in surrender,

"I- I'll lead you to him, right away!" he complied, "Just please don't hurt me! I have a family!" he pleaded.

"It's about damn time!" Chichi complained. Gohan bowed apologetically to the room at large,

"I'm very sorry, she can be excitable at times!" he said. He stood up straight, giving them an awkward smile, "Please forgive her, she hasn't seen dad for four years!" he requested, "Well, I haven't either, but I have more patience," he finished.

"Well, this is where we part, Gohan," Dende bid farewell, "I'll be back to pick you up in three days!" he said. Gohan nodded at him, smiling gratefully,

"Thanks for doing this for us, Dende! It really means the world to us! I know I've said this a bunch of times, but still… thank you," he added as Dende made his way out of the building. Dende turned his head and waved one hand.

Gohan smirked at his acknowledgement, _"I think he's picking up habits from Piccolo!"_ he thought. He looked at the still sleeping Goten in his arms, then followed his mother and the demon office-worker out of the building.

* * *

Goku suddenly stopped pestering King Kai and faced the sky, eyes closed, "Do you feel that?" he asked. King Kai grit his teeth,

"All I can feel is the bruise on my cheek from you poking it too hard!" he yelled.

Goku shook his head, "No, it's not that. I can feel an amazing ki coming towards us! Don't tell me; you really did bring me a strong guy to fight! I was just joking earlier!" He said, grinning widely, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you King Kai!" he exclaimed, giving the small blue deity a crushing hug.

"Ugaahhh! Goku! Let go! I can't feel my ribs!" he pleaded. Goku released him, rubbing his head and smiling apologetically,

"Sorry about that, King Kai! Sometimes I forget how _weak_ you are!" he laughed. King Kai's teeth nearly cracked from how hard they were clenched,

 _"I'm a freaking deity! I watch over an entire quadrant of the universe! Where is the respect I deserve!"_ he groused, _"Maybe I can pawn Goku off on this visitor of his. Then_ they _can deal with him!"_

* * *

Gohan and Goten had their faces pressed against the window of the plane they were riding. This was the 'higher plane' that was taking them to Grand Kai's planet, which was apparently where Goku was.

"Gohan, look!" Goten exclaimed, pointing at the planet they were approaching. Gohan smiled,

"Yep! We're almost there! Still, this place sure is strange," he thought aloud, "So, dad is somewhere on that planet, huh? Oh! That's right! I can just search for his energy!" He remembered. Chichi sat next to him, applying makeup in anticipation of the meeting to come.

The plane finally reached the planet and descended, "Oh, hey! Dad is really close! Do you think he felt us coming?" Gohan wondered. Goten nodded rapidly,

"Gohan? What's dad like? Is he like Trunks' dad?" Goten asked, repeating a question he had asked many times. Gohan chuckled,

"Well, they both like to fight! But, that's where the similarities end," he explained. Goten nodded, indicating his understanding, "Dad is the greatest guy I ever knew. He was a hero. And he's super nice, so I know he's going to love you, squirt!" he said, grinning. Goten grinned back,

"So daddy's just like you!" he said cheerfully. Gohan blanched a little,

"I don't really know if I would say that… ," he hedged, "I don't think I really compare to him," he said, smiling wryly. Goten frowned and Chichi stopped applying her makeup,

"Oh, Gohan. I wish you would stop thinking like that. You're a wonderful young man, and I know Goku is tremendously proud of you; just like I am," She chided, _"Though, I'd be even more proud if you focused on your studies rather than training,"_ She thought; though she didn't voice it. She was trying to make him feel better, not worse.

"Thanks, mom. This isn't the time to be moping anyway! We're about to see dad!" he said. The plane landed and came to a stop with a lurch.

* * *

"They're here! They're finally here, King Kai!" Goku shouted, jumping up and down while his hands gripped King Kai's shoulders.

"I can see that just fine!" he retorted, "Can't you calm down for _five_ minutes?" he asked, exasperated.

"Can't you feel that ki? Whoever it is, is really strong! I can't wait to fight him! Who knows, maybe his ki is still suppressed right now; which means he's actually _way_ stronger!" he enthused.

The plane door opened. A large figure stepped out, followed by a more petite figure. Goku's mouth dropped, eyes wide.

"It's… It's Gohan! And Chichi!" His surprise warped into horror, "OH NO! If they're here, doesn't that mean they're DEAD!" he panicked, "What happened on Earth! Was it destroyed! Was it-" his panic was interrupted by a slap on the back of the head from King Kai,

"Calm down, Goku! King Yemma said you had visitors, remember! They don't have halos, see? That means they're not dead!" He scolded. Goku rubbed his aching head and took a closer look. Gohan was turning his head this way and that, while Chichi fussed with something she was carrying,

"Huh, I guess you're right. They don't have halos. Then why are they here? I didn't even know living people _could_ come here!" He said. King Kai shook his head,

"Why don't you just go ask them!" he advised. Goku smiled,

"Great idea!" he said.

* * *

Gohan stepped off the plane onto a planet with a purple sky. The scenery on the ground didn't look that different from earth. He looked around curiously, observing a large mansion in the distance. In another direction there was a tall stone pillar. His sight-seeing was interrupted when a very familiar ki signature closed in on them.

"Hey! Gohan! Chichi! It's me! It's so great to see you guys!" Goku yelled, jogging up to them. Tears ran down Chichi's face as she ran towards him,

"Oh, Goku! I've missed you so much!" she said, clinging to him and showering him with kisses. Goku laughed,

"Come on, Chichi! You're embarrassing me! King Kai is watching, you know!" he complained. Chichi's wet eyes became hard,

"Goku. You don't seem all that happy to see me," she said dangerously. Goku blanched,

"Of course I am!" He assured, carefully grasping her shoulders, "I just… wasn't expecting to see you guys, that's all!" he said.

Gohan's brow raised, "Nobody told you we were coming? We've been planning this visit for over two years!" he exclaimed.

Goku scratched his cheek, "Well, King Kai told me _someone_ was coming; just not who," he said. King Kai walked up to the family,

"I didn't tell you, because I didn't know, either," he admitted, "eh-hem," he cleared his throat, "I'm sure you all have much to catch up on, so I'll take my leave," he said, calmly.

 _"Finally! As long as they're here I won't have to deal with that buffoon anymore!"_ he exulted. He scurried away before Goku could think of a reason to keep him there.

Gohan coughed, getting Goku's attention, "Dad, before we do anything else, there's someone you should meet!" he said. He reached down to the small form that had been clinging to his leg, _"There's no reason to be nervous,"_ He whispered to his little brother, _"Didn't I tell you? Dad's gonna love you!"_ he assured. Goten nodded hesitantly, clinging to Gohan's shirt.

Gohan approached Goku, "Dad, this is Goten!" he presented the child, "He's your son!" he grinned. Goten released one hand from Gohan's shirt and waved,

"H- Hi," he greeted weakly. Goku stared incredulously,

"This is… my son? I have another son?" he asked, looking between Chichi and Gohan. Chichi nodded, face wet from new tears,

"Yes. He was born after you died. He's been looking forward to meeting you!" she cried. Goku smiled warmly, and reached out to take Goten from Gohan's arms,

"Hey there little guy! I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you!" he said softly. Goten suddenly lunged forward, grabbing onto Goku's gi,

"Daddy!" he sniffled, face pressed into Goku's chest. Goku chuckled,

"Y'know, it's kind of amazing how much he looks like me!" he said. Gohan laughed, wiping away a few stray tears. Chichi was sobbing in happiness.

 _"I'm happy for you, Goten. You must have really wanted an actual father, huh? I tried to fill in for him, but nothing beats the real deal,"_ Gohan thought.

* * *

In a small clearing on Grand Kai's planet sat a small capsule house that hadn't been there before. Inside Chichi was cooking, doing her best to prepare enough food for three saiyans. Goku and Gohan faced each other outside as Goten watched.

"I've been wondering… how come your ki feels so different?" Goku asked his oldest son. He launched forward sending a roundhouse kick that Gohan ducked.

"Training accident, I guess," Gohan shrugged, retaliating with a high kick. Goku hopped back, dodging the attack. He smirked,

"I guess that means you kept training, huh?" he asked. He sent forth a few ki blasts, which Gohan destroyed with a swipe of the hand. They both leapt forward meeting in a lightning quick exchange of blows,

"Yeah, I've gotta say; I'm curious about how strong _you've_ gotten!" Gohan said, dodging a flurry of punches from Goku, "I'm sure you've been doing nothing but training for the past four years, right?"

The exchange ended and they both stepped back. Goku scratched his cheek, "Well… it's not like there's much else to do here!" he grinned.

"Maybe later we can have a _real_ spar! I want to show you how far I've come!" Gohan smirked.

"Aww! Do we have to wait! I bet I could get the Grand Kai to let us use the arena! Then we could go all out!" Goku said, excited at the prospect. Gohan shook his head,

"I think dinner is almost ready. Mom would freak out if we weren't here when she finished," he declined. Goku nodded and sighed. He went to sit next to Goten; Gohan followed.

"So, how have things been on earth since I left?" Goku asked, Goten crawling into his lap. Gohan scratched his head, tilting it to the side,

"Well… peaceful, I guess? There haven't been any villains trying to destroy the earth. The biggest disruption is probably Vegeta challenging me to a fight," he said. Goku's eyes widened,

"You've fought with Vegeta! How'd it go? Did you win?" he asked. Gohan grimaced,

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that… ," he hedged, "The first time was sort of a draw. Vegeta had asked me to help him ascend to Super Saiyan 2- ," he explained, before Goku interrupted,

"Hold on! Vegeta asked for your help! Vegeta never asks for help! What on earth happened while I was gone?!" he exclaimed. Gohan chuckled at his father's consternation,

"Yeah, Vegeta's changed; if only a little bit! I agreed to help him ascend and we fought. Though, he was a little violent after he transformed. That's when the 'training accident' happened," Gohan continued. Goku raised a brow curiously,

"So, what happened?" he asked. Gohan grimaced,

"He said some things that upset me, and I had a bit of an outburst. You remember how sometimes I can draw out more power when I get angry?" he asked. Goku nodded, "Well, this time rather than drawing out a bit of power, it was more like the floodgates opened. The power just kept coming without end," he said.

 _"To think Gohan had that much power hidden away,"_ Goku thought, increasingly curious about the origin of this well of energy. Gohan continued his tale,

"Eventually I calmed down and realized that my energy was out of control. The only option was to push it all back inside, but I didn't know how!" he said. Goku was leaning forward, completely drawn into Gohan's account,

"What did you do?" he asked impatiently, bouncing up and down. Gohan laughed at his father's childish antics. He noticed that Goten was copying him, too.

"My only choice was to compress all the energy. That way I could fit it all in, despite it being more than I could usually handle. Though, I wouldn't recommend trying it! It hurt like crazy! Plus, I had to spend nearly a year recovering and becoming accustomed to the radical change in my ki!" he said, chuckling good-humoredly.

Goku stared at him wide eyed, "Does that mean you went an entire year without training!?" he asked incredulously. Gohan shook his head,

"Actually, I ended up training with Master Roshi to master my ki control. I had to relearn how to use my ki anyway, so it was very beneficial!" he answered.

"Haha, you actually trained with the old turtle, huh? That must have been an experience!" Goku said, thinking back on his own training with the turtle sage.

"Yeah, you bet it was! I never realized exactly _how_ perverted he was until I had to spend every day with him!" Gohan said, laughing at his recollection of Roshi's antics.

"Alright, boys! Dinner is ready!" Chichi called. All three of them hopped up,

"Alright! I haven't had Chichi's cooking for years! I'm gonna eat until I burst!" Goku exclaimed, patting his stomach.

* * *

Krillin stood on a deserted island, sweating profusely, "Hah… hah… I have to work even harder! If I don't… hah… I'll never surpass my limits!"

He began punching the air, throwing his entire being behind each blow, "HAAH! Hah! Hiyah!" he grunted. He loosed a powerful beam of energy and flew in it's path. The beam crashed into him, and he struggled to hold it back; his weakened body making it incredibly difficult.

 _"If I don't put my life in danger like this, I'll never find my limits!"_ he thought. The beam slowly pushed him back; but at the same time, it was slowly losing energy. Krillin's heart pumped like crazy, delivering blood to every part of his body. His veins bulged from the strain, pulsing in tune with his heart.

"aaaAAAAAAHHHH!" he screamed, finally succeeding in dispersing the energy beam. Completely out of energy, he collapsed on the ground.

"Alright… hah… so, this is... hah… my limit!" he wheezed, "Now, I just… hah… have to surpass it!" he panted. He struggled to his feet, entire body shaking from exhaustion. His vision filled with spots, and the world spun. He fell to the ground, unable to keep his balance.

"Damn! This is… hah… incredibly… difficult!" he groused, struggling to move even a single muscle. His eyelids grew heavy and began to close, _"If i could just rest for a little bit,"_ He thought, consciousness finally leaving him.

* * *

"So you haven't used Super Saiyan 2 since the Cell Games?" Goku asked after hearing about Gohan's fight with Piccolo. It was their second day in Otherworld and they were heading to Grand Kai's place to ask about using the arena. Gohan nodded,

"Yeah, it was during the fight with Piccolo that I realized that I didn't want to use it again. It's not like I'm afraid of it or anything!" he assured, "I just don't feel like it's the path I should take to become stronger, that's all," he said.

Goku nodded dubiously, crossing his arms as he flew, "I get that; but if you're not going to use Super Saiyan 2, then I'm not sure it'll be a good fight!" he complained. Gohan smirked,

"Don't worry about that, dad! I fought Vegeta pretty evenly, despite him being a Super Saiyan 2!" he said, "Just because I won't use that transformation, doesn't mean I haven't become stronger! My strength now is definitely greater than it was against Cell!" he boasted.

 _"If I hadn't been experimenting with Eighteen's idea, I may well have won!"_ he thought, _"Keeping my energy contained was unexpectedly difficult; not to mention the weird behavior of my mystic ki! Though, I think my control has become better from the experience."_

* * *

Inside the luxurious mansion they met Grand kai, "Oh, why if it isn't the prodigious Goku! What brings you to my humble abode," The Grand Kai's smooth voice rang out. Goku placed his hands on his hips,

"Actually, my son here came to visit," he tapped Gohan on the back. Gohan bowed courteously,

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your excellency! My name is Gohan," he greeted. Goku laughed and continued,

"Anyway, we were wondering if we could use the arena to have a little spar!" he requested. Grand Kai leaned forward in his chair,

"Hoh! So, this is Goku's kid, huh? I guess they do look alike, though one of them has actual manners," he thought aloud. He cleared his throat, "Well, welcome to otherworld, Gohan! You two are going to have a spar, huh?" he looked at Goku, "Is the kid strong? I imagine he must be considering he's _your_ son!" he said, chuckling.

"Oh, yeah! He's strong alright! He's the one who defeated Cell, after all!" Goku told him. Grand Kai's eyes nearly popped out,

 _"Doesn't that mean he's near Goku's level! Another warrior I don't stand a chance against! I hope he doesn't want training!"_ he thought. Outwardly, he had regained his composure,

"Well, I'll gladly let you use the arena! As long as I get to watch!" he agreed, winking. Though neither Saiyan could tell because of his sunglasses. He cleared his throat,

"Anyway, follow me!" he skipped off down a number of hallways. He finally stopped at a large wooden door, "It's right in here, come on!" he opened it.

They found themselves in a large, dark space. It had a well lit tournament arena at the center, surrounded by stands. Above was a void filled with small planet-like rocks, sparkling like stars in the distance. Gohan gaped at the sight.

"So this is the otherworld tournament arena? It's amazing!" he praised. Grand Kai's glasses glinted and he stroked his beard modestly,

"Well, it's not much," he downplayed, "But it gets the job done!" He lead them to the middle of the ring. He cleared his throat and laid out the rules of the fight,

"You must remain within the ring! Touching the planetoids is fine, but the floor and roof are off-limits! No blows to the groin; let's keep things clean. Remember that our young friend here is still alive, so no killing! If I think things are about to go too far I will stop the fight. Trust me, you don't want that; it won't be pretty! Finally… have fun!" he finished his speech.

Gohan and Goku dropped into their stances, both ready to start the fight. Grand Kai raised a hand,

"Gohan! Are you ready?" he asked. Gohan nodded,

"Goku! Are you ready?" he asked once more. Goku nodded as well,

"Then, BEGIN!" His hand dropped.

* * *

Near the entrance to otherworld that Dende used to travel there, a creature lurked. It had suppressed it's ki thoroughly, so as not to be noticed.

"So our little savior has come to visit his dear father?" it drawled, "How sweet. It tears my heart that such a happy family must be separated. If only I could somehow reunite them… permanently!" it growled evilly, "but first I would _so_ like to return to my home planet. Unfortunately, that means I must wait. Until the little green one returns, opening the path home," it said.

It slunk back into the shadow of the floating path. It would be patient.

* * *

A/N: a family reunited! Is that a new enemy? Who could it be? (it's probably obvious, but whatever). Krillin is training hard, but will it be enough?

Next chapter is the fight between Goku and Gohan!


	17. Chapter 17: Father-Son Showdown

Chapter 17: Father-Son Showdown

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

A blue-skinned, horned man ran frantically toward the checkout station. His breath came in ragged bursts. He barged into the building interrupting King Yemma's paperwork,

"King Yemma! It's terrible! Hell resident 666-3b-355L-2 has vanished! We can't find him anywhere!" he shouted in alarm.

Yemma stopped his work and looked at the tired demon man, "I see. This is a serious problem. He must be located immediately!" he ordered. The checkout station burst into activity as the workers frantically fulfilled his orders. He rummaged through a drawer, looking for a specific file,

 _"Now, I just need to figure out which resident that is! I deal with so many that I can't possibly remember them all!"_ He struggled to navigate the papers, giant fingers making it unnecessarily difficult.

 _"Ah! Here it is!"_ He took a quick look at it, and his face paled, "If I recall, the last time we had a disturbance, it was taken care of by that Pikkon fellow, correct?" he asked his assistant. The assistant nodded,

"Yes! Together with another warrior named Son Goku! Shall I call for them?" he asked helpfully. King Yemma lowered his head in thought,

"Just send for Pikkon! Goku has visitors right now, so we should be considerate. In any case, he can't cause too much damage. There's no way he found the exit from Hell! It leads right to my desk, after all! I would have noticed," He concluded.

The assistant nodded in affirmation, "Understood, sir! I shall go to retrieve Pikkon immediately!"

* * *

Chichi stood at the sink of their temporary kitchen, washing dishes with a fury normally reserved for mortal enemies, _"I cannot believe they just took off after breakfast! We're only here for three days, we should be spending time together like a family! I can't believe I forgot how frustrating Goku can be! And now, he seems to be influencing Gohan, too! I only hope Goten doesn't pick up on their bad habits,"_ She ranted.

Goten was taking a nap, sleeping off a large breakfast, _"Goten only has three days to see his father. Why can't Goku understand how important it is to spend time with him?"_ She thought, morose. She set down the dish she was torturing.

 _"Oh, Goku! Even when you were alive, you spent more time training than you did with Gohan; except when you started training him. I had hoped you would have changed a little after dying… again,"_ she sighed.

* * *

"Then, BEGIN!" Grand Kai's hand sliced downwards, signaling the beginning of the match.

Neither of them moved. Gohan observed his father's stance and minute movements, trying to get an idea of his intentions. A slight shift in weight forward,

 _"He's coming!"_ he thought. Gohan readied himself to defend, hoping to feel out his father's strength during an exchange. His feet shifted widening his stance. Goku launched at him, fist pulled back. He went to punch, but pulled back at the last second; sending a kick at Gohan's ribs.

Gohan grabbed his leg and diverted the force into a spin, launching Goku into the air,

"Whoa-oh-oh!" Goku yelped, spinning rapidly in the air. Gohan waited for him to gain his bearings. He smirked,

"Come on, dad! You're going to have to try harder than that!" he taunted. Goku laughed, rubbing his head,

"Yeah! I guess so!" he said. His mirth faded, leaving a serious expression. He sank back to the arena floor. Gohan was the one to move this time. He sent forth a flurry of weak ki blasts, charging in among them. Goku weaved around them, letting them burst against the stone tiles; his eyes never leaving Gohan's approaching form.

Gohan came in low, sweeping his leg to knock Goku's out from under him. Goku jumped over his leg, sending his own down in a stomp. Gohan sent a palm forward to meet Goku's foot, a ball of ki held in it. The blast exploded on contact, sending Goku flying away from him once again. Goku chuckled happily,

 _"His fighting style has changed quite a bit! It's gonna take some getting used to!"_ he thought, excited at the challenge. It had been a while since he had a challenging opponent. He couldn't help grinning. Gohan grinned back, enjoying their fight at least as much.

They launched at each other, slamming their fists together; shaking up some dust on the arena floor. Gohan sent his other fist at Goku's face. Goku tilted his head to avoid it, sending a knee at Gohan's stomach. Gohan raised his own knee to block it. He pulled his fist back, sending forward a palm thrust; Goku crossed his arms to block it, but failed to realize it's true nature. The palm stopped short of making contact, instead sending an invisible burst of ki that pierced through his guard.

"Oouff!" Goku spat, feeling a wave of force go through him. He took a few steps back, hand holding his chest, "Nice one!" he complimented, smirking. Gohan smiled back,

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, smile becoming mischievous, "I thought you'd be able to see that coming, but I guess old age must be getting to you?" he mocked. Goku laughed,

"Haha! Getting a little cheeky are we? Maybe you've been spending _too_ much time with Piccolo! Don't worry about me, though! I'm a slow starter, that's all!" he said. He jumped up in the air, bringing his leg down at Gohan in an axe kick. Gohan crossed his arms above his head, ready to catch it. However, Goku suddenly wavered and vanished; appearing to Gohan's right and sending a straight at his torso. Gohan barely managed to bring an elbow down to block some of the damage, though he was sent skidding across the arena.

"Nnnh!" He grunted, face twisted in a grimace. He came to a stop, rubbing his bruised arm, "Puh!" he released a breath, "That's more like it!" He grinned at his father. They went at each other again, this time faster. They were a flurry of blows, blocks, and dodges. Their fight spanned the entire ring, though they stayed on the ground. The fight hadn't escalated enough to become aerial yet.

Grand Kai watched on, outwardly unfazed. Though inside he couldn't stop his shock, _"These two aren't using much power, but the skill they're displaying is almost more incredible! I know Goku's only been training for two or three decades; considering his age, Gohan probably only has half of that time! How did they become more skilled than warriors that have been training in the afterlife for thousands of years?"_

As they finished another exchange, Goku suddenly jumped back and stood straight, relaxing his stance. Gohan cautiously did the same,

 _"This probably isn't some kind of trick. Dad doesn't fight like that,"_ Gohan thought. His father had always been a fair and straightforward kind of warrior. It would be especially evident in a friendly spar like this. Gohan briefly recalled his dad giving Cell a senzu bean before his fight, _"Maybe a bit too fair!"_ he chuckled.

"It's about time we kicked things up a notch, don't you think?" Goku asked. He clasped his fingers and stretched his arms out, "I'm all warmed up now. How about you?" he asked, performing some more stretches. Gohan smiled,

"Sounds like a plan!" he agreed, "I've just been waiting on you. After all, you are a 'slow starter'," he teased. Goku giggled at having his words used against him. Then his face hardened, his elbows at his sides fists clenched.

"HAA!" he grunted, transforming. His hair stood on end, golden. His aura was no longer white, but golden; flickering around him like a flame.

The Grand Kai couldn't help but flinch at the massive increase in power, _"At least he didn't use that other transformation,"_ he sighed. Goku had one other transformation that scared the hell out of him, _"Seriously, how can a mortal possibly hold_ that _much power!"_ he asked no-one in particular.

Gohan took a moment to observe his father's Super Saiyan power. Despite being a Super Saiyan himself, he didn't often get to see what it was like. He didn't exactly look in a mirror every time he transformed, and the only other super saiyan was Vegeta. Considering he had been avoiding him for the last year or so…

 _"I have to admit… the super saiyan transformation looks really cool! Do I look like that every time I transform?"_ he wondered idly. He prepared to transform, copying his father's pose,

 _"Maybe I should make a show of it? I could make it look like I'm using my full power, that way I can surprise him later by suddenly increasing my strength,"_ he strategized. He knew that his father was likely stronger than him. He had almost certainly attained the super saiyan 2 transformation, and been training with it for years. Gohan's super saiyan form might be able to match Vegeta, who had ascended two years ago, but his father was a different story.

 _"If I used mystic ki, I might be able to match his full strength; after all, it had been enough to overpower Vegeta. However, using mystic ki like I did against him is too draining. I would have to finish the fight before the fatigue got to me. That didn't exactly work against Vegeta and my dad is just as stubborn,"_ he thought.

Goku waited for Gohan to transform, _"He sure is taking his time! Maybe he's busy thinking?"_ he wondered. He was already itching to get started. He hopped on one foot, then the other, trying to loosen up. Suddenly, Gohan dropped his pose and rubbed his head, smiling apologetically,

"Ehehe, I was wondering if I could try something new? I have a technique that might be really strong, but it's hard to tell without ever using it. Would you mind helping me try it out?" He requested.

Goku grinned excitedly, "Alright! Sounds interesting!" he shouted.

Gohan nodded in thanks, before closing his eyes; concentrating inward. He reached for his core, searching for the mysterious energy. Once he found it, he drew it out carefully; remembering the feeling he had during his fight with Vegeta.

 _"There's no telling how strong I'll become using_ just _mystic ki, but this is a good chance to find out! Plus, there's no worry about killing dad accidently since he's already dead!"_ He thought. He took his time circulating the mysterious energy through his body, trying to pull out as much as he could,

 _"It's definitely gotten easier! That fight with Vegeta is paying off!"_ he thought, feeling the energy pulsing within. It felt like his body was on fire, but it didn't hurt. He took deep breaths, ensuring he had drawn out every drop.

 _"I can't use anymore, but this is already way more than my previous limit!"_ He thought smiling eagerly, _"I'm starting to get used to it!"_

His arms returned to the position they had been in before, and he proceeded to power up, "Haaaa!" he yelled, a red and gold aura bursting into life around him. His eyes slowly turned red, and his hair flickered and fluttered from the power he was letting off; ultimately remaining black. The stage below him shook and cracked, and the air around him seemed to warp.

Goku watched curiously as his son continued powering up; aura growing brighter, _"Weird! I can't feel it at all! It's like his ki signature vanished!"_ he thought. He wasn't too concerned by the development, _"Gohan must have learned to completely suppress his ki! That's definitely a useful technique, but how will that let him fight evenly with a super saiyan? Is he gonna transform later?"_ he wondered.

The Grand Kai sat perfectly still. Not that he was calm, he just couldn't move, _"It can't… it just can't be!"_ he panicked, _"He's just a mortal! No matter how strong… ,"_ he thought. But his eyes and his senses didn't lie. This boy was displaying something impossible, but he had no choice but to accept it. Grand Kai slumped in his seat, no longer conscious. Turns out he couldn't accept it.

Gohan let out a deep breath, looking at the aura surrounding him, _"It's a bit different. It used to be red with flecks of gold, but now I've got streaks of it flickering through!"_ He thought. What might have caused this change? Gohan shrugged, not knowing the answer. He let the aura disperse, facing his father and dropping into his stance,

"Alright, dad, ready when you are!" he said. Goku wasted no time in re-starting the fight. He vanished before appearing next to his son, but Gohan was ready. He weaved through Goku's attacks easily.

Gohan dodged an uppercut, finally retaliating with an elbow to Goku's chest. Goku stumbled back a step or two, before launching forward again,

 _"Man, he is hard to hit! It's impossible to tell how he's going to move without my ki sense!"_ Goku complained, though he was actually smiling happily, _"I'll have to fight relying entirely on my normal senses."_

Gohan stopped dodging, going on the offensive. He sent a powerful kick at Goku's ribs, which Goku blocked. He suddenly vanished; Goku was unable to find him since he didn't have a ki signature. As Gohan floated a decent distance above the ring, he pulled his arms back; preparing a _super kamehameha_.

By the time Goku located his son, it was already too late to dodge. He held out his hands trying to hold back the energy beam, _"Ah man, this is really difficult! Even when I'm touching it, I can't tell how much energy it has! How am I supposed to counter something if I don't know how much effort it's going to take?"_ he wondered.

As the beam pushed forward inexorably, pushing his feet back, he began to wonder if he might need to transform, _"Gohan is still in base form! I can't believe he's pushing me this much without transforming!"_

Before Goku could make a decision, Gohan twisted his hands; causing the beam to explode prematurely, _"So now I know that mystic ki alone can put me on par with a super saiyan! That's incredible! Not to mention, I've hardly tapped into the true potential of the mysterious energy!"_ he thought. He looked down, trying to find his father among the dust and rubble from the explosion,

 _"I can feel his ki; it's much greater than before! Did he transform again?"_ He asked himself. He reached his hand out and sent forth a pulse of invisible ki, dispersing the dust cloud. Only Goku wasn't there,

 _"Behind me!"_ he realized, turning as fast as he could, _"How could he have gotten there unnoticed?"_ he thought. He caught a glimpse of gold and lightning, before a blow to his back sent him up among the planetoids, _"It must have been instant transmission! How could I have forgotten about that!?"_ he scolded himself.

He came to a stop when he smashed into a purple floating rock. He took his time extricating himself from the rubble, trying to get a bead on Goku's location. He knew the instant transmission technique was useful, but it operated by locating ki signatures; something Gohan didn't have right now. So, as long as he remained out of sight, Goku would have difficulty making use of that technique.

 _"He's coming towards me! I'm not sure I can face him head on as a Super Saiyan 2. With my fight against Vegeta, I combined my super saiyan form with mystic ki. I don't know how powerful mystic ki on it's own will be,"_ he thought. He smiled and decided to use his lacking ki signature to his advantage.

Goku flew towards the planetoid he had knocked Gohan into, _"Man, I don't know how but Gohan's become really powerful!"_ he thought, grinning in pride, _"Not even a super saiyan yet he forced me to transform to Super Saiyan 2!"_

He waited for him to come out of the rubble, ready to continue their fight. However, Gohan didn't seem to be there, _"Where'd he go?"_ Goku asked himself. He heard a faint whirring sound and noticed he had been surrounded by ki blasts. His eyes widened at the unexpected situation,

" _When did that happen?"_ he wondered. He looked for a way out of the cluster of orbs, but found that they seemed to be everywhere, _"This is looking kind of bad,"_ he thought. In reality, he wasn't that worried, _"It'll be difficult but I'm pretty sure I can dodge them. Though, it is impressive that Gohan is controlling this many ki blasts at the same time!"_ he praised his son.

The blasts closest to him suddenly shot forward, but he deflected them into the other blasts floating nearby. There were still many orbs left, sitting in wait. Just as Goku was about to start blasting them, they began spinning; forming a maelstrom of energy blasts. Every couple of seconds a blast would shoot out of the maelstrom at incredible speed. Goku focused on dodging, honing his senses so he wouldn't be caught off guard by the untraceable energy.

 _"This is pretty fun! It could probably double as a training exercise!"_ He thought. He kept dodging, getting the hang of the timing that the blasts came in. Suddenly, all of the remaining ki blasts came at once, _"uh-oh,"_ he thought. He began firing blasts of his own trying to trim down the numbers before they reached him. Unfortunately, he couldn't get all of them and had to endure those that had made it past his defense.

Gohan waited for the blasts to hit, providing him with the perfect opportunity to attack head on. He saw Goku curl into a ball for protection, _"Now!"_ he thought. He shot forward, ready to take advantage of Goku's current helplessness. Despite the smoke from the explosions, he could sense exactly where his father was. Just as his punch was about to land, he felt a sharp pain in his gut. Goku had somehow discerned his location and attacked at just the right moment.

Goku continued his attack, sending Gohan flying with a spinning kick. He appeared behind him and smashed him towards the ground. Chasing after his falling son, Goku peppered him with painful blows.

"Auughh!" Gohan shouted in pain, landing on the hard stone of the arena floor. Sharp stones dug into his skin, causing even more pain, _"How did he catch me off guard like that?"_ He thought, trying to ignore the pain pulsing through him. He struggled to stand, sending out his senses to determine his father's location but failing due to lack of concentration.

Once on his feet, he flared his power; sending the rubble around him flying away. He took a moment to regain his focus, _"That Hellzone Grenade should have left dad defenseless! Coupled with my untraceable ki, my attack should have been unblockable. How did he find me?"_ he wondered. He finally regained enough concentration to utilize his ki sense, noticing a massive concentration in the air. He looked up sharply,

 _"Dad! That's a lot of power for a Kamehameha! And he's already done charging!"_ he panicked. He had no chance of escaping, already quite fatigued from the battle, _"I can only hope to deflect it! There's no other way!"_ he thought.

"Haaa!" Goku yelled, sending out the massive blue energy beam. Gohan stretched out both hands, coated in ki. The beam collided with his hands, pushing his feet further into the damaged ring. Gohan used all his strength to resist it; despite that, his feet continued digging furrows into the stone.

"Nnngggh… Haaaaa!" He struggled, before exerting all the energy he had. His red and gold aura burst forward, surrounding him and pushing against the energy of the blast. Goku continued pouring the seemingly endless energy of a super saiyan 2 into the attack, determined to win. He had forgotten that his son was still alive and -unlike his other sparring partners- could die from an attack this powerful.

Despite Gohan's best efforts, he was still being pushed back, _"Is this the true strength of a Super Saiyan 2? Is this what I gave up? Was that really the right choice?"_ He questioned, no longer sure of his conviction. He shook his head, _"I can't just change my mind now! More importantly, I need more power to deflect this attack! If I don't I might die! Jeez, dad always gets way too into this stuff! He probably forgot that this is supposed to be a_ spar _, not a fight to the death!"_ he complained.

He reached into his core, looking for more power. There was more mystic ki; he knew there was. He could feel it. However, he couldn't access it. It simply wouldn't respond to him, _"I don't get it! Why is mystic ki so hard to use? I thought my control had improved. I was even able to pull off the hellzone grenade!"_ he wondered, _"I guess I have no choice, I'll have to go Super Saiyan! I've never tried transforming_ after _using mystic ki, so this'll be interesting!"_ he thought.

Still pushing against Goku's mighty blast, hands covered in ki to protect from burns, he felt for the familiar trigger to transform. He found it and initiated the transformation,

"HAAAA!" he yelled. His red and gold aura grew larger, brighter. He could feel power welling up, but it felt different, _"Is this due to transforming while using mystic ki? It's strange. Ah well, as long as it gives me enough power to survive,"_ he conceded. He continued his low yell, power increasing steadily. Then he felt it. The trigger that would complete the transformation.

 _"There it is!"_ he thought, relieved, _"I was beginning to worry, since the transformation was taking so long!"_

He took a deep breath, "HAAAA!" he yelled, louder than before. His aura exploded around him, forming a red sphere. Gohan continued exerting himself, determined to finish the transformation despite the strange feeling. The sphere of ki shrank, surrounding him until it conformed to his body; becoming a film of blazing red energy.

 _"What's going on? This is completely different from the Super Saiyan transformation!"_ Gohan thought. He could feel his body changing, being altered by the ki surrounding him, _"Dammit, now's not the time to worry about that! I've still got this attack to worry about!"_ he scolded himself.

As he thought, the shell of energy began to fragment off. Eventually it revealed his significantly different appearance. Gohan felt the tremendous power flowing through him,

 _"This isn't the Super Saiyan transformation,"_ he realized, _"This is something entirely different!"_ he thought. Before taking any more time to examine himself or his new power, he shifted his stance against the kamehameha wave. With disturbing ease, he simply lifted his hands upwards; sending the beam at the ceiling. The attack hit and caused a tremendous explosion, actually cracking the durable ceiling tiles. The massive explosion destroyed many of the floating planetoids and kicked up a massive wind that tore up loose tiles.

The Grand Kai had been startled awake by the blast, finally able to take in the situation. He stared at Gohan, _"There's just… there ain't no way! That's just impossible!"_ The ki Gohan was giving off right now, not to mention the power; it was beyond anything he could comprehend. He didn't want to admit it, but it could only be one thing,

 _"DIVINE KI!"_ he screamed mentally.

* * *

A/N: Big reveal! Well, most of you already guessed what 'mystic ki' was. Sorry this chapter took so long to come out! I had a bit of writer's block. The next chapter should be out around Saturday! ...Hopefully. I don't want to break my promise of two chapters a week, but if the next chapter is as difficult as this one I may not have a choice.

You'll notice the fight scene didn't have any dividers when the POV switched. I tried to make it very obvious when the pov switched, but I don't want to use a divider that frequently. I feel like it should be for changing scenes, not pov's. If it's confusing, please tell me and I'll find some other way to separate pov switches.


	18. Chapter 18: A New Form?

Chapter 18: A New Form?

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Somewhere tremendously far away, a cat stirred. It yawned and stretched languidly. Slowly cracking an eye open,

"Whis! Milk! Now!" it demanded. Shortly after a tall blue man in a red dress-like garment appeared. He held a staff with a glass-like orb floating at the top,

"Of course, my lord. Would you like it warm? With some honey?" he asked politely, bowing in greeting. The cat's head fell back on a pillow as he mumbled agreement. The man called 'Whis' left to fetch the drink.

The cat leaned back, looking at the ceiling, "Super... Sei- So- Sasu- something something. Arghh! What was it?" he wondered, scrunching his face from trying to recall too hard. He rolled over and closed his eyes for _just_ a second, "Zzzzzzzz!"

Whis returned holding a tall glass of milk -from what animal? Who knew? He heard his lord's obnoxious snoring, "Oh dear! He seems to have fallen asleep! Whatever shall I do with this milk?" he asked himself dramatically, "I suppose I have no choice but to drink it myself! The sacrifices I make for my lord… ," he lamented.

He delicately brought the glass to his lips and took a sip, "Mmmm, delightful!" he exclaimed.

* * *

Eighteen sat next to Mascara, her makeup artist. She held a glass of lemonade, sipping it occasionally and trying to ignore the ramblings of their producer. He was going on about how happy he was that their latest film was finally finished shooting. All in all it was pretty boring.

 _"I'd much rather be training with Gohan right now. I hope he gets back soon… before I die of boredom,"_ She thought, looking up wistfully. Ever since she started training with Gohan, a thirst to grow stronger had made itself apparent. Unfortunately being an actress could be time consuming. She often found she didn't have time for training, despite her desire to do so.

 _"Should I quit?"_ she wondered. It wasn't like she couldn't get by without this job. She already had a fortune, so money wasn't a problem. She looked over at Mascara, one of the few people she could claim to be 'close' to. Having to spend hours with her during every shoot while she applied makeup had caused Eighteen to open up a little out of sheer boredom. Of course Mascara wasn't aware of her incredible powers. If anyone found out it would be _way_ too much trouble.

 _"I guess I shouldn't. Mascara would probably cry,"_ She sighed. Mascara felt eyes on her and turned to Eighteen, winking. She smiled and leaned over,

"Feeling bored, much?" She asked.

"No, not at all. I love listening to old men ramble,"

"I bet you'd rather spend time with that nice boy you met, right?" Mascara prodded, a sly smile decorating her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eighteen insisted, unfazed. Mascara's smile widened.

"Oh, come on! For the last couple of months, you've been positively glowing! I can tell you really like him,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," She repeated, this time a little annoyed. Mascara wrinkled her nose and swatted Eighteen's shoulder,

"You don't have to hide it sweetie; I won't tell anyone," she assured. Eighteen sighed, knowing she wouldn't drop it until her curiosity was satisfied,

"Don't misunderstand. We're just friends," she admitted. And they were. Just friends, that's all. He might be a little handsome and very nice, but he was definitely too young for her. Though, Eighteen didn't actually know how old she was.

Mascara smiled victoriously, "There, now was that so hard to say?" She asked. Eighteen rolled her eyes, Mascara could really be annoying at times. Eighteen looked at her friend; she had tan skin and black hair, pulled back in a ponytail with one forelock hanging over her face. Her eyes were a deep brown, almost black. She looked to be in her late twenties.

Mascara noticed her stare, and smiled at her, "Enjoying the view?" she asked, winking. Eighteen released a breath in exasperation. She set her glass down on the table, looking around the private room they had reserved. This was a sort of post filming impromptu celebration. The tables were low to the ground and instead of chairs they had cushions to sit on.

The food here was good, and she really enjoyed their lemonade, _"It might be nice to eat here with Gohan. Maybe I should invite him? He never really gets out; spends all his time training or studying. It could be good for him,"_ She convinced herself. She was startled out of her thoughts by a poke to the ribs. She looked over at the only possible culprit.

Mascara held a hand over her mouth, stifling giggles. Her eyes were curved merrily, showing her suppressed mirth. She finally calmed down and removed her hand from her mouth,

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?"

"Wha- ,"

"Oh come on, Eighteen! It's obvious to someone like me," Mascara boasted, haughtily. Despite her best efforts, Eighteen's cheeks reddened slightly. Mascara's grin became slightly terrifying,

"I knew it! I knew it. So, are you going to tell me about him? When do I get to meet him? Is he cute?" She poured.

"No. Never. Irrelevant,"

"Arrgh! Do you always have to be so difficult?" Mascara complained. Eighteen smirked,

"Of course," she said. Mascara smiled at the cheeky reply. Eighteen picked up her glass, taking another sip,

"He's pretty tall; black hair and eyes. Lean frame, and a goofy face," Eighteen confided, "He's pretty naive, probably because he's lived out in the boonies for all his life," Eighteen saw Mascara's face light up, "And he's _just_ a friend!" she asserted.

Mascara frowned playfully, "Can't you let me have a little fun?"

"Not at my expense," Eighteen retorted. Mascara giggled. She cleared her throat,

"So… how did you two meet?"

Eighteen placed a finger on her lips, looking up in thought, _"How much should I tell her?"_ She wondered. She couldn't tell the truth and say 'I had just awoken from receiving cybernetic enhancements and was on a mission to kill his father'. Well, she _could_ but that would probably be a bad idea.

She nodded, deciding on a good story, "We met during the whole 'Cell' debacle. I was… attacked by someone during the rioting, and Gohan saved me," She said.

 _"Well, that's close enough to what really happened,"_ she thought, shrugging. She looked at her friend to find that her eyes were shining.

"That's SO romantic!" She gushed, "He's like your knight in shining armor!" Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, and she kept sighing girlishly, "If only I could have such a fateful encounter!" She said, wistfully. Eighteen rolled her eyes,

"It wasn't some fateful encounter or anything. He may have saved me, but it was entirely incidental. We didn't even see each other again until four years later," she corrected, "Besides he was eleven at the time. Hardly the right age to be a knight."

Mascara's eyes widened, "Wait! Are you telling me he's only fifteen right now?" she asked shocked, "I didn't know you went after younger men!" she exclaimed, melodramatically.

Eighteen glared at her, "How many times do I have to tell you! It's not like that."

Mascara put her hands up, waving them in surrender, "I got it! I understand! I'll stop, I promise!" She apologized. She drooped her shoulders, "It's just so rare to see you worked up over something, I couldn't help myself," she admitted, downcast. She looked up tears welling in the corner, mouth twisting into a pouty frown, "Can you ever forgive me?" She pleaded.

Eighteen scoffed, "Whatever,"

Mascara's hands shot up, tears nowhere to be seen, "Yayy!" she shouted in elation. Suddenly, everyone began to clap; signalling the end of the producer's long-winded speech. Eighteen sighed in relief. Mascara started clapping with everyone else, despite not having listened to the speech.

The director stood and gained everyone's attention, "Ehem, as you all know the premier should take place in about a month. I'd like to remind you all that attendance is _mandatory_ ," he emphasized. He looked at Eighteen in particular, who continued drinking her lemonade nonchalantly, " _Man. Da. To. Ry._ Can you hear me, Eighteen? No more skipping out on us. Do you realize how much trouble it is for the lead actress to not show up at the premier?" he asked.

Eighteen sighed and nodded. The director nodded as well, satisfied, "I should also mention that you should all bring a date. I don't care who it is; it could be your mother for all I care. Just bring one!" he commanded. There was a general murmur of agreement. Eighteen winced, not liking that particular restriction.

 _"God, I'll probably end up dragging Seventeen along. At least it would be good payback for all those stupid events he takes me to,"_ She dismayed. Mascara tapped her shoulder and leaned over, whispering in her ear,

" _Why don't you take your 'friend'?_ " she suggested. Eighteen blushed before she could stop herself,

" _Why on earth should I do that?_ " She demanded. Gohan wouldn't like this kind of party… probably. She didn't actually know, but she couldn't imagine him fitting in among this crowd.

" _Come on! It'll be fun! I guarantee he'll have a good time!"_ Mascara assured, continuing their whispered conversation.

 _"How would you know? You've never even met him!"_ Eighteen retorted. Mascara smiled mischievously,

 _"Because he'll be going with the hottest, most amazing girl in the world!"_ She sang. Eighteen's lips twitched upwards in a smile. Even _she_ didn't receive that kind of compliment often. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear,

"Well… I guess I could ask… ," she hedged. Mascara nodded excitedly,

"And, while you're at it, ask if he has any friends that would go with me! I don't have a date either!" she requested. Eighteen gave her a flat look,

"Is that what you were really after? You realize a fifteen year old probably has similarly aged friends?" She asked, though she knew he actually didn't. Mascara grinned, waving a hand in front of her,

"Don't sweat the small stuff! I'll meet them beforehand, so we can get to know each other. I'm sure it'll work out!" she insisted, "Plus, Mr. director said that it could be anyone, so it doesn't really matter anyway, right?"

Eighteen sighed, "Whatever, I guess I'll ask. Don't expect anything, though," she capitulated. Mascara squealed and pulled Eighteen in for a hug. Eighteen scowled but let her do as she pleased.

 _"At least if I go with Gohan, the premier should be a_ little _enjoyable. The only reason I skipped the others is because so many guys would hit on me. Having a date might help,"_ She conceded. She smiled as she imagined how the naive boy would react to being surrounded by celebrities, _"Just getting to see that would be worth inviting him!"_

* * *

Gohan observed the results of the blast. The ceiling was crumbling, shattered planetoids falling from the air. They clattered to the ground in a cacophony. His father was staring at him, eyebrows raised in surprise. He looked at his hands, watching the gold and red aura lick around his fingers. He clenched his hands a few times, getting a feel for this new form.

 _"I wonder how this happened? I didn't expect to stumble on anything like this!"_ He thought. He slapped a palm to his face, _"I can't even see what it looks like because I don't have a mirror!"_ he moaned. Goku dropped to the ground near Gohan. He began circling him curiously, occasionally poking him.

"So, uh, Gohan. What's this?" he asked. Gohan shrugged,

"Dunno,"

"It looks like a new form! Have you been holding back on me?"

"No, not at all! This just kind of happened! I don't even know what I look like right now!" Gohan assured. Goku raised a brow and tilted his head. Suddenly he grinned broadly,

"Cool! I got to see your first transformation into… whatever this is," he said, waving his hand vaguely.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a mirror, would you? I really want to see what I look like," Gohan requested. Goku placed a hand on his chin, looking around for something suitably reflective,

"Aha! We can use Grand Kai's sunglasses!" He exclaimed, snapping his fingers in realization. A drop of sweat rolled down Gohan's face,

 _"Well, that's certainly an interesting idea,"_ he thought, _"Seems a bit rude, though,"_

Grand Kai finally regained his composure, "My glasses do not double as mirrors, Goku! If you need one that badly, I have one right here!" he offered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hand mirror. He tossed it to Gohan, seemingly unwilling to come close to the divinely powerful warrior. Gohan took a quick look,

 _"Oh wow! That's different! Red hair and eyes! What's up with that?"_ he wondered. He rolled back his sleeve, noticing his muscles seemed thinner, _"Don't tell me I've actually gotten weaker?!"_ he panicked. Then he remembered the ease with which he had just deflected a massive Kamehameha, _"Well, maybe not."_

Goku started jumping up and down, "A new form, huh? That's so exciting! Come on, Gohan, let's continue our spar!" he begged. The corner of Gohan's mouth twitched upwards at his father's childish behavior,

" _He's just like Goten! Or, I guess it's the other way around,"_ he thought. He was just about to humor his father when Grand Kai interjected,

"Hold it!" he said, holding up a hand, "In case you haven't noticed, why don't you tell me where we're all standing?" he inquired. Goku and Gohan looked at the ground,

"Well, the ground I guess?" Gohan shrugged. Grand Kai shook his head,

"And what's on the ground?" he asked. Goku ran a hand through spiky golden hair,

"Uh… grass?" he guessed. Grand Kai nodded,

"And what does that mean?"

Goku and Gohan looked at each other in confusion. Goku shrugged, giving up. Gohan's red eyebrows finally rose in realization,

"That means… ring out!" he exclaimed, "Ah, man! I must have been pushed out of the ring by that Kamehameha!" he whined, _"Damn! I can't believe I lost for the second time in a row! And on such a technicality!"_ he complained.

Goku's face fell, "But… but, the fight… I wanted… ," he stuttered, utterly dismayed, "Gohan… new form… but… ," He fell to his knees, scooting over to Grand Kai; hands in front of his torso in supplication, "Hey, Grand Kaaaiiiiii! Just one more round! Please! Pretty please!" He smacked his forehead on the ground, cracking it, "Super-duper-ultra-please!" he yelled.

Grand Kai took a step back from Goku's forceful dogeza. He straightened his formal costume, coughing into his hand, "Well, I might be convinced… but there are conditions," he offered. Goku looked up, eyes moist with tears of gratitude,

"Oh thank you, Grand Kai! You're the best!" he hopped up, turning to his son, "Come on, Gohan, let's get started!" he enthused. Gohan laughed and scratched his head,

"Don't you think we should ask about the terms first?" he suggested. Goku's eyes widened, he placed a hand on his chin; the other on his elbow. He closed his eyes, trying to think,

"Hmm? Well, I guess so. But hurry up, I want to start the fight!" he demanded. He turned to Grand Kai expectantly.

Grand Kai stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Gohan! What do you know about the ki you're using right now?" he asked. Gohan tilted his head,

"You mean 'mystic ki'? Not much. I know that almost no-one can sense it. It's pretty strong, and I can even mix it with normal ki to enhance my strength," he explained. Grand Kai's glasses dislodged slightly, revealing wide eyes,

"You did what! Gohan, I recommend you don't ever do that again!" he shouted. Gohan froze in shock,

"Don't do what again, Grand Kai?" Gohan asked, somewhat perturbed. Grand Kai fixed his glasses back in place,

"Don't ever try to mix divine ki with normal ki! The ki of the Gods ain't supposed to mix with mortal ki! You could have ruined your body!" he warned. Gohan's eyes widened in shock,

" _I came_ that _close to seriously incapacitating myself?"_ he gaped. He hadn't considered the consequences that experimenting with 'mystic ki', or rather 'divine ki', might have! Who knew it could be so dangerous?!

" _Maybe that's why my Super Saiyan transformation suddenly failed?! Was it actually due to damage rather than fatigue like I'd thought?"_ he wondered.

"Is it really that dangerous?" Goku asked, impetuously. A vein bulged on Grand Kai's forehead,

"Of course it is! Why would I lie about that? Aren't you a little bit worried that your son could have died?!" he shouted in irritation. Goku scratched his head indecisively,

"Well, I mean, he's obviously fine so… ," Goku drawled. Grand Kai sweat-dropped,

"That's awfully pragmatic of you, Goku," he lauded. Goku smiled,

"Heh heh! I just don't like to worry about things I can't change!" he said. Grand Kai's palm introduced itself to his face.

"Well, anyway, on to my conditions! One: don't let anyone else know about divine ki! It ain't something mortal's should have. Two: Do not abuse your new powers! I know you're a good kid, but I'm warning you anyway. If I find out you're using it to oppress others I'll bring the hammer down on you!" he bluffed, _"As if I could even touch this kid!"_ he gulped.

Still, he needed to protect his position of authority. Having Gohan think he was super powerful would be useful to that end, _"I just hope he doesn't find out! He's still inexperienced at sensing divine ki, so he probably can't tell how much stronger he is than me!"_ he thought.

"Three!" he continued, "We're gonna have a little discussion on how _not_ to use divine ki! I don't want you killing yourself by accident!" he finished. Gohan nodded, indicating his agreement to the conditions.

Goku jumped and shot his fist into the air, "Alright! Now let's fight!" he shouted. Gohan smiled, readying his stance. Goku followed suit. Grand Kai lifted his hand. Right before he started the match, Gohan's aura flickered and went out; hair and eyes returning to their natural black.

Gohan stood straight in surprise, "Oh! Well… I guess I'm back to normal!" he said, grimacing. Goku collapse in dismay, a metaphorical dark aura surrounding him. Tears streamed down his face,

"I just wanted a good fight! That's all! Is that too much to ask for? Gohan had a new form and everything! It was gonna be so FUN!" he moaned. Gohan panicked, somewhat shocked at the waterworks,

"Hold on, dad! I can probably do it again! I just lost concentration, that's all!" he reassured his father. He clenched his fists and searched for that divine transformation. Goku looked up at him hopefully,

" _Pleasepleasepleaseplease!"_ He whispered in prayer. Unfortunately neither seemed to have luck on their side. Gohan struggled to transform, but just couldn't do it. He let out a breath,

"Sorry, dad! It's harder than I thought!" he apologized. Goku wiped his eyes and stood, waving a hand,

"No. It's OK. The second time is always the hardest," he consoled. Whether it was for Gohan or himself is undetermined.

Grand Kai spoke up, "You probably need time to recover. That kind of transformation is likely too strenuous to be used often," he suggested, "You likely won't be able to use it again before you leave," he informed them. Gohan's shoulders slumped. Goku' face fell,

"Ahh, man! Why can't he stay a bit longer?" he whined. Grand Kai shook his head,

"The fact he was allowed to visit at all is already tremendous! Ain't no way you'll get an extension," he said. He brought up a hand to stroke his beard, "Hmm. You know, you're cleared to return to earth for a day in three years. Why don't you postpone your fight until then? That way, Gohan will have better control of his new form?" he suggested.

Goku brightened up considerably, "Hey, now that's an idea! I mean, I'd really like to fight now, but if I have to wait then we should at least make it good, right?"

Gohan nodded, "Yeah! Plus, everyone can watch! It'll be great!" he enthused. Goku smiled wider, getting excited at the thought. He clenched his fist in determination,

"Alright! That's what we'll do! I can't wait!" he exclaimed. He scratched his head, "I guess we should go see Chichi and Goten now, huh? We only have a day or so left, so we need to spend as much time together as possible!"

Gohan smirked, _"You're only saying that now that fighting is out of the question!"_ he thought. Suddenly, the ground began to shake and a terrible roaring sound reverberated through the chamber. Gohan and Goku both shivered in fright,

" _Oh, no!"_ Gohan thought. The door to the arena slammed open,

"GOKU!" The most formidable being in the universe yelled, "YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR _FIVE_ HOURS! YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR _WHOLE_ FAMILY _RIGHT NOW_!" Chichi yelled, infuriated. Goku quivered in fear. Gohan sighed in relief that her anger was pointed elsewhere. He felt sorry for his dad, but self-preservation instincts were kicking in.

* * *

The evil creature was sweating from the effort of clinging to the bottom of the floating path, "Damn them! How long do they intend to stay here!" it ground through clenched teeth. It didn't know how long it had been doing this, but it was quite fed up with it's hiding spot.

"I can't give up now! Not for such an inane reason as discomfort! It can't be much longer before that little green being returns and opens the path! PATIENCE! I MUST HAVE PATIENCE!"

* * *

A/N: I finished on time! Three cheers! Hip-hip -ah, fuck this. So I made an OC on a whim. She turned out pretty well. I even kept with Toriyama's kind of naming scheme! I'm thinking of including her as a semi-important character. After all, I went to the trouble of making her; might as well use her, right? Her looks are sort of based off Kale (new character in Dragon ball Super). She doesn't have droopy eyes, though.

P.S. I finally caught up with the latest episode of Super! That doesn't mean you should post spoilers in the reviews. Other people read those and they may not have caught up yet!


	19. Chapter 19: Family Bonding

Chapter 19: Family Bonding

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Pikkon used his foot to restrain one of the many Hell 'residents' that had attacked him. He looked around at the others; lying on the ground and moaning from their injuries,

" _If they're going to call me to take care of a troublesome character, the least they could do is find him first!"_ he griped. He sighed, _"Well, at least I got in a little warm-up,"_

Pikkon took his foot off his latest victim and kicked him into a pile with the others. He looked over at the demonic office worker that was accompanying him, "Hey! Is Goku coming? He was here the last time," he asked.

The blue man shook his head furiously, "No, sir, Pikkon, sir!" He said, trembling at being addressed by such a strong fighter, "Apparently the warrior Son Goku has visitors presently! Out of consideration for that fact, he was not called!" he reported awkwardly.

Pikkon clicked his tongue, "That's no fun, then. I was hoping to have a little friendly competition," he muttered.

"Excuse me, sir, Pikkon, my lord, sir!" The blue man said nervously, "I'm afraid I didn't catch that last part …sir! Could you… please, maybe… uh, repeat that?" he asked shakily. Pikkon sighed and waved him off,

"Let's just go search the next area!" he commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Master Roshi's island looked serene under the soft moonlight. Gentle waves lapped at the beach, introducing pleasant background noise. All the lights in the house were off as Krillin slowly descended to the sandy edge. His appearance might be most easily summed up in one word: terrifying.

He was covered in bruises, ki burns, dirt, and dried blood; his gi top had been completely torn away at some point. He had only barely made the trip here from the private island he had been training on. He shuffled into the house like a zombie, shoulders slumped because he didn't have the energy to stand straight. He swung the door to his room open and collapsed on the bed, not caring how dirty he was making it. He lost consciousness the moment his head touched the pillow.

Master Roshi, woken by the slamming door and heavy footsteps, looked in on his wayward student. He shook his head in dejection,

 _"At this rate, he's going to kill himself. I understand his desire to grow stronger, but pushing your limits recklessly leads only to death,"_ he sighed. What exactly was fueling Krillin's consuming desire for strength? Rejection? He had suffered that before, but it didn't have this kind of effect. He shook his head again,

"Foolish youngsters. Always in such a hurry," he said quietly. He padded back to his room solemnly; there was a collection of girly mags waiting for him!

* * *

The Son family sat at a campfire underneath a dark purple night sky. There were no stars surrounding Grand Kai's planet, instead replaced by a multi-colored void that made sure it was never _truly_ dark. Gohan watched as his father instructed Goten in the delicate art of marshmallow roasting, which seemed to involve setting it on fire multiple times. He smiled as he remembered all the times he had gone on little camping trips with his dad,

 _"Though, it was always just the two of us. It's a little different having the whole family here,"_ he thought. It was different, but he liked it. This was how things should have been.

He laughed as Goku and Goten began eating all the s'mores ingredients raw instead of taking the time to make them properly. Chichi glared at them, but quickly gave up on stopping them.

 _"Those two really do get along well! I'm so happy Goten got to meet dad!"_ he thought, somewhat wistfully. He felt someone plop down next to him. Goku nudged him with an elbow,

"Hey, Gohan! You're being pretty quiet over here!" he pointed out. Gohan gave a wan smile,

"I was just thinking, that's all," he deflected. He didn't want to infect everyone with his pensive mood. Goku's eyes narrowed… then his face relaxed,

"Ah! Is that all! You should be careful not to think too much! That always makes my head hurt!" he warned, patting his son on the back heartily. Gohan grinned,

"Don't worry, dad! I'll be careful!" he assured. Goku nodded and dug back into the marshmallows.

"Goku! Don't eat too many of those! You'll get a stomach ache," Chichi chided. Goku frowned,

"Aw, come on, Chichi! Just a bit more!" he pled. Chichi shook her head firmly, extracting the bowl from his hands. Goku looked downcast, before eventually eyeing the chocolate.

Gohan chuckled again, _"Dad always makes things lively! Never a boring day with him!"_ he thought. He watched Goten pick up some rocks and run up to their dad,

"Daddy, look at this! I can juggle!" he shouted, excitedly. Goten tossed up one rock after another, until all of them were either in the air or falling into his hands. Occasionally he would throw wide, but he was fast enough to catch it and continue his feat. Eventually he finished and spread his arms wide, "Ta-da!" he exclaimed. They all clapped appreciatively for his show.

"Wa-how! That's amazing, Goten!" Goku enthused. Chichi nodded in agreement. Goten smiled bashfully, rubbing his head,

"Gohan taught me how!" he informed them. Gohan's eyes widened at the revelation,

 _"Did I do that?"_ He wondered, trying to recall. Finally, he remembered; it was meant as a light training exercise for hand-eye coordination. He had taught him a few months ago, _"Huh! I'm surprised I forgot that!"_ he thought.

"Well, that was very nice of you, Gohan!" Chichi commended. Gohan scratched his cheek,

"Well, what are brothers for?" he chuckled. Chichi smiled warmly and Goku clapped his shoulder, grinning.

* * *

A few hours later, both Chichi and Goten had gone to bed. Goku and Gohan sat companionably around the dying campfire. Gohan was extolling his father with tales of his battles against Vegeta and Piccolo,

"Woah! Vegeta really just punched a hole through Piccolo!" Goku asked, eyes wide in disbelief. Gohan grimaced and nodded, "Yeah, it was pretty upsetting. Of course, Dende was nearby, so he turned out fine!" he added. Goku crossed his arms and nodded,

"That's good! All's well that end's well, right?" he concluded. Gohan gave a pained smile,

"I wouldn't say that. The fact that Vegeta was so willing to seriously injure a supposed comrade was a bit disturbing,"

"Wait! But didn't you say earlier that Vegeta had changed? It's all good now, right?" Goku asked. Gohan shook his head,

"I meant that Vegeta is _in the process of_ changing. It wouldn't be strange for him to relapse to his old behavior. That's why I accepted his last challenge; I thought I could knock him off his pedestal before he started acting arrogant again," He admitted. He snorted, "That didn't exactly work out!"

Goku hummed in acknowledgement, poking at the embers of the fire with a stick, "It's fine to encourage him to be more friendly, but you can't make someone into something they're not," Goku advised in a moment of rare wisdom, "Trying to beat the arrogance out of him is pretty arrogant in itself. Just let him come around on his own; no need to rush,"

Gohan looked down, face red with shame, "I… never thought of it that way before. I'm sorry, dad. I guess I let you down again," he said, dolefully. Goku patted his shoulder,

"Don't be so hard on yourself! Life's an experience! How will you learn if you never make mistakes?" he chided, "I made a whole bunch of mistakes, but that's okay! I never let that stop me from moving forward. Don't let it stop you!"

Gohan stared at his father in shock, _"Since when is dad this wise? He always acts like a goofy… not very smart man,"_ he finished hesitantly, not really willing to call his father an idiot. He shook his head, _"Dad's right, I can't let every little mistake get to me! Look at the big picture! I've got my family and friends, the earth is safe, and I'm taking steps to make sure it stays that way! I even found out that I'll still be able to see dad; even if it's only once every couple of years. That's still pretty good!"_ he encouraged himself.

Goku watched as his son seemed to have an epiphany, smiling proudly.

* * *

The first rays of sunlight poked through the window, rousing Goku from his slumber. He looked out the window, noting the light lavender sky, _"It's the perfect time!"_

He slowly slid out of bed, careful not to wake his wife. He quietly slipped on his gi, sneaking out of the room. He crept down a hallway to the room his sons were sharing. He cracked the door, seeing Goten sprawled haphazardly across his bed. Gohan was lying neatly under his blanket, looking as though he had just been tucked in.

Goku slowly crept towards his eldest son, careful not to wake the younger. He tapped Gohan's shoulder, _"Gohan. Wake up, Gohan,"_ he whispered. Gohan's eyes rolled under their lids. He turned over and swatted Goku's hand away,

"Go away, Goten. It's too early," he groaned. Goku grabbed his shoulder and shook it,

 _"Gohan! Let's go train! This is our last day and everyone else is asleep! It's the perfect time!"_ He whispered with slightly more urgency. Gohan's eyes slowly rolled open,

 _"Dad?"_ he asked, "What's up?" he propped himself up on his elbows. Goku shushed him, pointing at the sleeping Goten. Gohan followed his gesture and nodded.

 _"Let's go train!"_ Goku whispered again. Gohan smiled and nodded once more.

Goku and Gohan stood in a clearing, far enough from the house that their actions wouldn't wake anyone. Goku was stretching and Gohan tightened his red belt.

"Alright, dad, is there anything in particular you wanted to do out here?" Gohan said, no longer needing to be quiet. Goku nodded, seriously,

"I was hoping you could… ," he started, solemn as could be, "Please! Show me how to do that new transformation! That was so cool!" he begged. Gohan winced, scratching his jaw nervously,

"Uh… unfortunately, I'm not sure I can," he said, uneasily, "I thought about it last night and realized that I actually achieved that transformation during my first fight with Vegeta," he explained. Goku eyes widened,

"Really? I guess that means I wasn't the first to see it, huh? That's kind of disappointing," he said.

"Well, it was only for a moment. I dropped it immediately after gaining it. I hadn't even realized what happened!" Gohan defended himself. Goku put a hand on his chin,

"I don't see how that would prevent _me_ from doing it,"

"This is just speculation, but I think the reason I was able to gain that transformation was the immense amount of energy that I forcibly concentrated within myself! As far as I'm aware, you don't have the same kind of hidden power as I do. Without that, I have no idea how you would get the amount of energy necessary for it. Not to mention I was really lucky not to blow up. It's just too dangerous!" he warned.

Goku's shoulders slumped, "Aww! I wanted to go Super Saiyan Red, too!" he complained. Gohan looked at him in confusion,

"Super Saiyan Red?" he asked. Goku nodded, threading his fingers behind his head,

"Yeah, that transformation makes your hair all red and your aura turns red, too. So, Super Saiyan Red," he explained. Gohan shrugged,

"Good as any name, I guess," he conceded, _"Though I was leaning toward 'Super Justice Transformation'. Ah, well! Maybe I'll get to name the next transformation!"_ he thought.

Goku suddenly hopped forward and gripped Gohan's shoulders, "Anyway, since we're out here… why don't you try going super saiyan red again?" he suggested, grinning eagerly.

"But, Grand Kai said I probably wouldn't be able to do it for a few more days!" Gohan reminded his overeager father. Goku waved his objections away,

"Oh, come on! It won't hurt to _try_! Just give it a shot! If it doesn't work then that's fine, but if it does… then we can fight right now!" he cried enthusiastically. Gohan raised a brow,

"I thought we agreed to fight three years from now," he asked, quizzically.

"We can fight then _and_ now! Wouldn't that be great!"

Gohan snorted, "I suppose I can give it a shot!" Goku gave him some space. Gohan summoned up his divine ki, consciously suppressing his mortal ki so they didn't mix. He really didn't want to ruin his body! He came close enough during that fight with Vegeta. Both of them, actually!

Wisps of red and gold ki rose from his body, vanishing before moving too far away from him. He was surprised by the meager amount he had pulled out, _"Was the transformation really that draining!? There's way less divine ki than normal!"_ he thought. He struggled to draw more out; this amount wasn't nearly enough to transform! However, it wasn't to be. His concentration failed and he released the breath he had been holding, placing his hands on his knees as he panted.

"Whew! Sorry! I guess I really can't force it!" he concluded. It was appalling how tired he had become in such a short time! Gohan shook his head, "I guess we'll just have to wait like we originally planned," he sighed. He stood straight to see his father's reaction.

"Ah, well. That's too bad. Well! On the bright side, that'll give me time to work on MY new transformation!" Goku said, working up his determination. Gohan stared at him in shock,

"Wait! You have a new transformation, too?! Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded. Goku began sweating,

"Ahahah, I haven't really completed it yet, so I wanted it to be a surprise. Could you maybe just forget about it so I can surprise you three years from now? Please?"

"How am I supposed to forget about something like that," Gohan sighed.

"By trying really, really hard?"

"It doesn't work like that, dad,"

"Oh! Well, that's too bad," Goku said, tapping his chin pensively, "Well, I guess it's fine if you know,"

"Seeing as you know about _my_ new transformation, I'd say it's only fair,"

Goku nodded in agreement, "Good point,"

Gohan clasped his hands and stretched his arms above his head, "Y'know, there has been something I was hoping you could help me with… ," he started.

"Oh! What's that?"

"I want to learn _instant transmission_! I can't even begin to describe how useful it would be!" Gohan exclaimed. Goku winced,

"Ah… well… I don't really know if I'm the best person to teach it… it's really complicated and I don't really remember all the details. My body remembers the technique so I don't really need to think about that stuff anymore… ," he said timidly. Gohan grimaced,

"Well, can you at least tell me what you remember? Maybe I can work it out based on that?" Gohan requested. Goku agonized about it for a while, before nodding,

"Alright, I can do that," he said. He cleared his throat, "Okay! The first thing you need to know is… ,"

* * *

Grand Kai paced back and forth in front of the crystal ball that would allow him to contact Supreme Kai. He bit down on his thumb, agonizing about what he should do,

"I should really tell Supreme Kai. But... I don't want to get the kid in trouble. I haven't known him for long, but he _is_ Goku's son. I highly doubt he'll cause any trouble!" he thought aloud, " ...at least, not on purpose," he amended.

"Mmmm… but it's my job to report these kinds of things to His Venerableness. Can I really neglect my duty just to help out a kid I hardly know?" He contemplated, pacing further. He sighed, "No… I can't," As much as it pained him, he had to report the kid.

"I can only leave it in Supreme Kai's merciful hands," he decided, "It's just too dangerous to allow a mortal to run about unchecked with divine ki,"

He stopped pacing, and approached the communication crystal. He placed a hand on it, willing the connection to form… except it didn't, "Huh? Is he not in right now? I guess I'll have to try later," he said, "In fact, it wouldn't be strange if he were gone for years. Maybe decades!" he shrugged theatrically, "Well! I tried!"

* * *

"That's it, Goten! One, two, one, two!" Goku chanted as Goten punched his hands as hard as he could.

"Ha! Ha! Hyah!" Goten grunted with each punch. Goku smiled proudly at his youngest son,

 _"Man, he's so strong, already! Not even four but stronger than I was at 16! Though, I guess Gohan was the same, wasn't he?"_ Goku thought. Goku couldn't resist trying to give Goten a _little_ training. It was the premier father-son bonding activity!

"Left! Right! High kick! Roundhouse!" Goku called out moves he had taught Goten just minutes ago. Goten performed admirably, despite small mistakes in form, "Alright, Goten! That's the way! You're doing great!" he praised. Goten smiled through the exertion, pleased he could make his father happy.

Goku watched Goten's form closely, "Tuck your elbows before you punch! Make sure to twist your hips!" he advised. Goten nodded,

"Got it!" Goten affirmed. He made the proper changes, throwing another few punches, "Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Even better! You're a fast learner!" Goku approved. Goten giggled bashfully. Gohan walked out of the house, drying his hands with a towel; sleeves rolled up,

"Haha! You guys are really going at it!" he laughed. He had just finished helping his mother with the dishes.

"Yeah, we are! Are you sure you haven't started Goten's training yet? He's already really good!" Goku enthused. Goten scratched the back of his head; Gohan laughed at his little brother's embarrassment,

"I'm sure! I figured I'd wait 'till he was four. That's when I started training after all!" Gohan informed his father. Goten frowned,

"Aww, Gohan! Can't we start NOW?! This is so much fun!" he complained. Gohan shook his head,

"The only reason mom is letting you train right now, is because you won't be able to train with dad again later," he reminded. Goten's face sank at the reminder that he wouldn't be able to see his father for years after today. Gohan winced; he knelt next to his brother,

"I'm sorry, little guy. I didn't mean to make you sad," He apologized. He ruffled Goten's hair, "We'll see him again in three years. It'll pass before you know it!"

Goku looked on with a pained face. Suddenly, he stepped forward; picking Goten up, "Hey, buddy! How about we go fishing? Just you and me?" He asked with a crooked smile. Goten's eyes lit up,

"Really! Yeah, let's go!" he shouted, waving his arms in excitement. They pranced off in search of a suitable lake. Gohan watched them go, unrolling his sleeves; smiling sadly.

* * *

"Y'know, I was wondering… ," Gohan began, speaking to his father. They only had a few hours before departure. They were at the edge of the lake Goku and Goten had found. Goten was playing around in the water while Goku and Gohan took turns skipping stones across the water. Each throw seemed to split the lake, so great was the strength they used, "How did you counter that attack after I used the Hellzone Grenade? I'm pretty sure it should have got you!"

Goku tilted his head, trying to recall, "Hmmm! What's the Hellzone Grenade?" he asked, curiously. Gohan raised a brow,

"That attack with all the floating ki blasts," he informed. Goku's eyes widened, plopping a fist into his other hand,

"Ah! That was a good one! Did you come up with that?" he asked. Gohan shook his head,

"That's an original of Piccolo's. He was nice enough to teach me,"

"Ah! I see! ...what was your question again?" Goku asked sheepishly. Gohan snorted in amusement,

"How did you counter the attack _after_ the Hellzone Grenade?" he asked again.

"Oh! Now I remember! Well, after all those blasts hit, I realized you would probably take advantage of the aftermath of the explosions. It was only a matter of figuring out where you would appear!" Goku recounted. Gohan raised a brow,

"So, how did you figure out where I would appear?" he questioned. Goku grinned,

"I guessed!"

Gohan lost his balance while throwing a rock, tripping into the sand. He propped himself up, rubbing sand away from his face,

"Of course you did," he groaned. Goku chuckled happily.

* * *

Vegeta dropped to the white tiles of the Lookout, landing majestically. He looked around for a certain person. Dende reluctantly left his home, obliged to greet anyone who made it up to the platform. Vegeta's eyes tracked him as he approached. Dende looked coldly at the slightly taller man,

"Is there something you need?" he asked, forcing politeness. Vegeta snorted,

"Yes, I suppose there is," he said, "I require a pass to the otherworld; provide one!" he demanded. Dende smiled,

"If you're so eager to visit otherworld, perhaps you might consider dropping dead?" he said pleasantly. Vegeta's eye twitched.

"Just get me one of those passes! Why should I content myself with victory over that imbecile's son? I will defeat Kakarot and prove my superiority! If Gohan, mini-Kakarot, and the banshee can go to otherworld, why can't I?" he shouted. Dende cleared his throat,

"Allow me to put it this way; what have you done that was intended to benefit anyone but yourself? Gohan saved the world, and by extension the universe, from the wrath of Cell. Goku defeated the tyrant Frieza, not to mention all the other times he saved the earth. They don't give out visitor passes to just anyone," he finished.

Vegeta grit his teeth, _"Dammit! I need to fight Kakarot! If I was able to defeat Gohan, then he may be able as well! In which case, I still won't know where I stand in comparison!"_ he grated. He clenched his fists repeatedly, restraining the urge to slap the smug little deity silly.

Dende waved him off, "If that's all, please vacate the premises. I wouldn't want to scare away more savory guests,"

Vegeta's anger overflowed, and he took a menacing step towards the young Namekian. However he was stopped before going any farther, a hand stretched out in front of his chest.

"If you're that raring to go, perhaps I might be a more suitable opponent?" Piccolo asked. Vegeta took note of the way Piccolo had appeared without alerting him to his presence,

 _"It seems the Namekian has improved his stealth further,"_ Vegeta appraised. He tried to gauge Piccolo's strength, but the green man had his ki thoroughly suppressed. Piccolo raised a brow,

"Well? What'll it be?" he asked. Vegeta snorted,

"Very well. In the absence of a truly worthy opponent, you are an adequate substitute,"

"I'm flattered,"

"Just get in the training chamber!"

"Yes, dear!" Piccolo chuckled. Vegeta growled in frustration. Dende watched their interaction in amusement, though he frowned when he realized they hadn't used the amazing name he had given the chamber.

He shook his head and tapped his staff on the ground, causing an ephemeral image of a clock to appear, "It's nearly time to retrieve Gohan and the others. I should get ready to go," he said.

* * *

Gohan watched as Goten and Chichi clung to his father. It was time to leave and they were all reluctant to part from the jolly Saiyan. Goku had an arm around Chichi's shaking shoulders, the other patted Goten on the back.

Gohan wasn't crying like the other two, he had already prepared himself for this, _"I'll see him again in just a few years,"_ Gohan thought, clinging to the comfort it brought him. The three finally broke off their embrace. Goku smiled and gestured at his eldest son. Gohan approached his father, the lump in his throat growing with every step. He swallowed it down, willing it to go away. He would _not_ break down here!

Goku caught his son's arm, pulling him in for a warm embrace, "Take care of your mom and brother for me," he requested. Gohan smiled and nodded,

"Of course! I'll take good care of them," he assured. Goku clapped his shoulder smiling sadly,

"I'm sorry I'm not coming back with you guys. If my presence didn't put the earth in so much danger, I'd be there in a heartbeat," he said, apologetically. Miraculously, it began raining exclusively over Gohan's head; sprinkling drops of water onto his cheeks. Gohan cleared his aching throat,

"It's okay, dad. I understand. Really, I do,"

Goku used his grip on Gohan's shoulder to turn him around and gave a little push, "Go have a good life! I want to hear about all the cool stuff you did when I see you in a few years!" he commanded.

Gohan wiped away the _raindrops_ -not tears- and nodded. The Son family -minus it's patriarch- entered the 'higher plane', ready to head back to the checkout station. Through the small window, Gohan saw his dad waving. Goten was clinging to Gohan's shirt, sobbing quietly.

 _"It's amazing how attached he became in just three short days!"_ Gohan thought in wonder. He rubbed the small boy's back gently. The plane took off.

* * *

A/N: I actually teared up writing that last scene! I hope you guys like these family moments. I'm a bit worried that Goten speaks _too_ well, for his age. I'm not knowledgeable about the speech capabilities of the average 4 year old.


	20. Chapter 20: Invitation

Chapter 20: Invitation

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Dende closed his eyes, attempting to protect them from the bright light of the portal to otherworld he had opened. He stepped through, arriving in the land of the dead once more,

 _"I guess I'll just wait for them to show up at the checkout station,"_ he thought. There was a sudden gust of wind, nearly throwing him off the path. He stuck his staff into one of the cracks in the path, holding himself in place. For a second he thought he saw a flash of green pass him, but shrugged it off as his eyes playing tricks.

 _"Hmm, strange. I wasn't aware otherworld even had wind!"_ Dende thought, _"You learn something new every day, huh?"_

He set off for the checkout station as the portal behind him began to close.

* * *

Eighteen was in the shower when she felt it. A faint flicker in her perception, coupled with a feeling of… unease? It was kind of vague, as far as feelings went,

 _"Strange,"_ She thought, placing a hand on the wall to stabilize herself, _"I feel kind of dizzy,"_

She turned off the water, toweling off and getting dressed, _"I wonder what that feeling was? Am I sick or something? Can I_ get _sick? I honestly don't even know,"_

She stood in front of the mirror, combing her hair. She absently noted the time, visible in the reflection of the clock behind her, _"Not much longer, now… ,"_

She shook her head, feeling butterflies in her stomach, "It's not a big deal. You just have to ask him," She told herself, "It's not like it's a date or -wait… it actually is, isn't it? Well, that's fine! Friends go on dates together, right?" She asked her reflection.

She finally seemed to realize how she was acting, and scowled, _"What the hell am I doing?! I just have to walk up to him and say 'hey, I have this event that I have to go to; you wanna come with?'. It's simple!"_ She berated herself.

 _"Ugh! If Mascara ever found out I was acting like this, she would never let me live it down! Why is it that my confidence sometimes evaporates when it comes to Gohan? It doesn't make any sense!"_ She growled.

Suddenly, Eighteen's eyes widened as she felt something with her newest sense. She grinned despite herself, _"He's back!"_

She shook her head and slapped her cheeks a few times, regaining her composure. She would absolutely _not_ continue acting like some kind of idiot. She was calm, cool, and composed; just as she should be. She wouldn't let Gohan's return ruffle her, no matter how eager she was to see him.

* * *

"Gohan, I miss daddy!" Goten whined, frowning. Gohan closed his eyes and let out a breath,

"I miss him too, buddy. Just remember that we'll see him again in just a few years, OK?" He suggested.

"Aww! But that's such a long time! I don't want to wait!"

Gohan chuckled, "It's only been an hour since we saw him! You'll have to have a bit more patience than that!"

The plane slowly began to descend, arriving at the checkout station. Chichi returned from the bathroom where she had washed her face. Goten began complaining again, now that someone else was here to listen,

"Mommy! I miss daddy! Can't we go back? Pleeeease?" he begged. Tears began to well in Chichi's eyes again,

"Oh, sweetie, I know you miss him!" she said, voice wavering, "But we can't stay here anymore. We have to go home,"

"I don't get it. Why can't we stay with daddy?" Goten asked, face scrunched in consternation.

Chichi picked up her youngest and settled him in her lap, "Maybe you'll understand when you're older," she sighed, "How about we go to Capsule Corp. when we get back? You can play with Trunks all day, alright?" she suggested.

Goten's eyes brightened, "Really! Yayyy!" he exclaimed, already distracted from thoughts of his father.

Gohan sighed in relief, _"Why is it that children always ask questions that are_ really _hard to answer?"_ he wondered.

The plane came to a stop and the family exited, returning to the large checkout building. Strangely, all the workers seemed to be rushing around frantically, _"What's going on? Is there a fire or something?"_ Gohan thought. Despite their apparent panic, all of the blue-skinned men gave Chichi a wide berth. It seemed they remembered her.

Gohan spotted Dende near the entrance, "Hey, Dende! Over here!" he shouted, waving his friend over. Dende lifted his head, smiling as he saw Gohan,

"There you are! I thought it would take you longer than that!" Dende said. He walked up to the family, tapping his staff with every step, "Are you ready to go back?"

Gohan looked back at his mother and brother before returning his gaze to Dende, "Yeah. I think we are," He said. He paused, looking around, "What's up with all the workers here? They seem to be in a hurry," he asked.

Dende shrugged, "No clue! Maybe they're behind schedule or something?" He guessed. He tapped his staff on the ground, summoning an ethereal clock, "It's time for us to go. We should probably get out of these guys' way anyway."

Gohan nodded and the group left the building, traveling up the floating stone path to the transfer point. Dende, in the lead, turned back to address them,

"Be careful of the wind! I almost got knocked off the path when I arrived here!" he warned.

Gohan took Goten from Chichi, "Mom, grab onto my arm," he requested, _"I can use my ki to hold myself in place. Mom should be fine as long as she doesn't let go."_

Thankfully, there was no wind and they all made it back to earth safely.

* * *

"Hahaha! To think that one of the Dragonballs would be in my immediate vicinity when I returned to earth! What luck!" It rejoiced, "Now I need only locate the remaining six."

It turned the four-star Dragonball appreciatively in it's hand, "Magnificent! Though, not to such a degree as myself."

It smiled cruelly, _"And after I have regained my life, my revenge will be at hand! You will SUFFER, Son Gohan!"_

* * *

Gohan stretched after finishing off the meal Mr. Popo had made for them. They were still at the lookout, resting up. He padded over to the lounge room. It was filled with comfortable chairs, couches, divans, cushions on the floor, et cetera. Light filtered in through open windows; a slight breeze setting the drapes aflutter. Dende was sitting on one of the cushions, drinking some kind of tea. Gohan sat next to his friend.

"So, anything interesting happen while we were gone?" he asked. Dende shook his head,

"Nothing noteworthy. How about you? I'm sure quite a bit happened in otherworld!" Dende returned. Gohan smiled,

"Yeah! It was pretty interesting! I got to meet the Grand Kai, you know!"

"The Grand Kai! I can't believe it! He's supposed to be the greatest martial artist in the universe!" Dende shouted in disbelief.

Gohan tilted his head in confusion, "The greatest, huh? He didn't seem very strong to me! Though he did help me out with my 'divine ki'."

"Divine ki? Wait, Gohan, you can't have divine ki! Only a deity has that kind of ki!" Dende yelled. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Wait. That would actually explain a lot of things," he realized, "Gohan, can you actually sense MY ki?"

"Yeah, sure, why wouldn't I be able to?"

"You shouldn't be able to! Only someone with divine ki can sense divine ki!"

"But… I _have_ divine ki?"

"You're not supposed to!"

"Oh… uh, sorry?"

"Don't apologize to _me_!" Dende retorted. He placed his face in his hands, "If I had known you could sense _my_ ki, I would have figured out that you had divine ki a lot earlier."

"Sorry, Dende! I didn't realize it was important," Gohan apologized, rubbing his head.

"No, don't worry about it. There was no way you could have known about divine ki, and I never imagined you would _need_ to know so I didn't tell you." Dende said, brushing Gohan's apology aside.

"Well, if you insist!" Gohan acquiesced. Dende was quiet for a while, contemplating the information he had just been provided with.

He shook his head, "So… any other momentous events happen up there?"

Gohan placed a hand on his chin, "Hmm… well, I did gain a new form," he answered. Dende turned to look at his friend,

"Really? That's interesting. I guess it'll be Super Saiyan 3, huh? I was wondering when you would finally reach that."

Gohan shook his head, "I'm pretty sure it's _not_ Super Saiyan 3. I imagine that would require mastering Super Saiyan 2. That's not gonna happen, since I won't ever _use_ Super Saiyan 2." he refuted, "Actually, this new transformation has to do with divine ki. Dad named it Super Saiyan Red."

"Are you saying you've stumbled upon some kind of Divine transformation?"

Gohan scratched his head, looking at the ceiling, "I guess?"

Dende took a sip from his tea, taking deep breaths.

"You don't seem very surprised." Gohan noted.

Dende snorted, smiling superiorly, "Nothing you can do will surprise me anymore."

* * *

As they left the building on the lookout, Gohan felt an arm wrap around his neck from behind; a hand covering his eyes. He gulped and his heartbeat sped up,

 _"How could I have let my guard down like this? Just because nothing bad has happened recently doesn't mean things will stay that way! I'm totally at the mercy of whoever caught me!"_ he berated himself, _"I have to calm down and figure a way out of this situation! My family could be in danger!"_

His mind began to sort through various ways to escape. However, before he could implement any of his plans, his captor leaned forward.

"Guess who?" she said softly. It was definitely a 'she'. Strangely the voice was familiar to him,

"Eighteen!" he exclaimed, _"What a relief! I thought it was an enemy!"_ he thought, releasing his breath, "What are you doing here?"

"I felt your ki and decided I would come welcome you back," she replied, releasing him, "Though, when I got here you were still inside, so I decided to surprise you," she said, smirking.

Gohan chuckled, "Well, you certainly surprised me! I thought I was gonna die for a second!"

Eighteen's eyes widened and she placed a hand over her mouth, "Oh! I didn't mean to scare you so badly!" she apologized. Gohan shook his head good-naturedly,

"Don't worry about it! It's my fault for letting my guard down like that," he said. He put a hand on his chin, "Actually, we were about to go to Capsule Corp., you wanna come with?"

Eighteen raised a brow, looking at the other people present, _"That's his mother and… his little brother? What was his name again? I'm pretty sure I saw him when Gohan fought Vegeta,"_ She thought, _"Well, I don't have anything better to do today. It shouldn't be too hard to avoid his mother. She still creeps me out."_

"Alright, could be fun," she agreed.

* * *

Gohan and Eighteen sat next to each other on the grass; leaning against a tree, inches apart. Goten and Trunks were playing a rather deadly game of dodgeball. They were throwing the ball fast enough to seriously injure a normal person.

"Hey you two! Tone it down a little! What would happen if Bulma or mom got hit by a stray throw?" Gohan chastised. His yell distracted Trunks, who ended up with a ball in his gut,

"Oof!" he grunted, arms going to hold his stomach but landing on the ball instead. Trunks grinned, "I caught it, Goten! That means I win!"

"What! I totally hit you! You said if you get hit by the ball, you're out!" Goten retorted.

Trunks smirked, "Unle-ess," He trilled, "You catch it!"

"What! That's not fair! You didn't tell me that!"

"Yes I did! You just weren't paying attention!"

"I was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

The conversation continued in that general manner. Gohan sighed in exasperation; Eighteen giggled at him,

"I guess they're a handful, huh?" she prodded. Gohan smiled and watched his brother and the boy he thought of as a second brother argue,

"It's not so bad! I'm just glad they have each other to play with, so they're not bothering me _all_ the time."

"What? Too busy to play with them all the time?"

Gohan grimaced, "Well, unfortunately yeah. I have studying and training to do. Those things really take up a lot of time."

Eighteen nodded, commiseratingly, "I know what you mean. Between training and my job, I hardly have time to myself. Mascara keeps complaining about how I don't have time for 'girl stuff' anymore."

Gohan tilted his head, "Mascara? Who's that?"

Eighteen smiled slightly, "Well… a friend… I guess. I have other friends besides you, you know."

Gohan's brows raised, "I never suggested you didn't! I mean, you're pretty awesome. I imagine you have lots of friends."

Eighteen clenched her eyes, successfully preventing a blush, "Just a few, actually. I'm a bit picky about that."

Gohan leaned back against the tree trunk, smiling, "Well, I'm glad I made the cut then!"

Eighteen smirked, "Barely."

Gohan put a fist in front of his mouth, chuckling into it.

* * *

"Look at how close they are!" Chichi squealed, "It's only a matter of time before they get married and give me GRANDBABIES!"

Bulma sighed and put her hand on the vibrating mother's shoulder, "Remember what I said? Hands-off approach. If you get too excited and interfere, you could ruin it!" She warned.

"I know, I know! I won't do anything! Your explanation was really convincing!" Chichi said, waving off Bulma's worries. She recalled the speech Bulma had given on the importance of letting relationships develop naturally, _"It's a good thing she told me, otherwise I might have ruined it trying to speed things along!"_

She looked down from the balcony they were sitting on. It was chosen because it provided a perfect vantage point to keep an eye on their sons and Eighteen.

 _"Oh, they look so cute together! When the hell is Gohan going to GET A RING FOR HER?"_ Chichi thought, insanely.

Bulma place her fingers on her temples, _"Weren't you calling her a harlot not that long ago?"_

* * *

Eighteen prodded Gohan with an elbow, "Hey, there's something I need to ask you."

Gohan nodded, waiting expectantly. She played with a strand of hair nervously, "Well… you know how we finished filming?" she asked.

"Mmhmm," Gohan hummed.

"In a few weeks there's this premier we have to go to, and I was wondering if maybe… you would like to go with me?" she asked, hesitantly.

Gohan scratched his cheek, "I'd be glad to… as soon as you tell me what a premier is," he said, chuckling bashfully.

Eighteen smirked, "It's not a big deal or anything. Just a bunch of celebrities getting together to watch the finished movie. There may be a few cameras, too. Also, lots of fans will show up to see their favorite celebrity," she said.

Gohan froze, then shakily ran a hand through his hair. He chewed on his lip before saying, "A- are you sure you want to bring _me_? I mean, w- wouldn't you rather go with your celebrity friends?"

"No, not really," she replied.

"Oh! Well, uh, I'm flattered but… I'm not sure it would be the best idea. I mean, it would draw attention to me and maybe people will find out I was at the Cell games. If that happens, there'll be reporters knocking on our door all day!"

Eighteen snorted, "I think you're overthinking this. How on earth would they recognize you? You were a Super Saiyan the entire time!" she said. She looked down, "Or, is it just that you don't want to go with me?" Her lower lip trembled theatrically, "I mean, I can understand if that's the case. You don't have to lie to spare my feelings," she said, shakily.

Gohan's eyes widened comically, _"Oh my God! What have I done! Is she gonna cry? I really hope she doesn't cry!"_

"That's not it at all! In fact, I'd love to go with you! Please let me go!" he pleaded. He couldn't see her face, as it was covered by her bangs, but the way her shoulders shook scared him like nothing else.

 _"Oh god! She's gonna hate me, now! How do I fix this?"_ He thought frantically. Her shaking stopped and she looked up at him cheerfully,

"Great! I'll call you when I learn all the details!" she said with an unusually bright smile, _"Mascara was right, that wasn't hard at all!"_

Gohan gaped at her, _"What just happened?"_

Eighteen patted his cheek, "We'll go shopping to make sure you have to proper outfit for it, later," she assured. She hopped up, turning to address him once more, "By the way, you should tell your bald friend that he's going too," she informed him.

"Wait, which bald friend?"

"The short one."

"Oh, OK. Wait, why is Krillin going?"

"My friend Mascara doesn't have anyone to go with. I have decided that he will make a suitable partner for her. Don't forget to tell him."

"Wait! What if he doesn't want to go?" Gohan asked.

"Too bad."

"You can't just make him go!"

Eighteen arched a brow, "Can't I?"

"Uh, well… it wouldn't be very nice… ,"

"I'm not a very nice person."

"Yes, you are!" Gohan insisted. A corner of Eighteen's mouth rose slightly,

"That's a nice thing to say, even if you _are_ wrong."

Gohan frowned but didn't argue. He stood, facing her, "Alright then," he sighed, "I'll tell Krillin. I'm sure he'll jump at a chance to get away from Master Roshi."

"I know I would," Eighteen muttered. Gohan heard her and laughed. Eighteen cleared her throat,

"How about we go do something else? Training, perhaps?" she suggested. Gohan nodded, grinning,

"Sounds like a plan!"

* * *

Vegeta looked around cautiously, wary of attack from every direction. Mostly because the damnable Namekian had a propensity for attacking from _all_ directions,

 _"Slippery green bastard!"_ he cursed. He had a number of bruises and burns from stealthy attacks he hadn't been able to prepare himself for. A sphere of ki came hurdling at him from out of nowhere,

 _"Is he fucking invisible or something?!"_ Vegeta raged. He easily batted it away, only to narrowly dodge a potshot piercing beam attack, "Dammit, Namekian! Show yourself!"

He spread out his ki sense in the slim hope Piccolo's ki suppression might slip up. Alas, there was no trace of the tenacious green man. The rubble from the floating islands Vegeta had destroyed created countless hiding places.

 _"There has to be a way to catch him off-guard! I know that if I can just catch him, victory will be mine!"_ Vegeta thought. He cast out within the depths of his mind for a workable strategy. A smirk slowly worked it's way onto his face.

With a yell of rage, he began shooting a volley of ki blasts at everything within sight. Piccolo peeked out of his hiding spot, seeing a chance to close in and take the momentum. Just as Vegeta seemed wholly committed to his foolish ki wasting attack, Piccolo flew underneath him in a path that wouldn't cross Vegeta's sight. However, when Piccolo was meters away, Vegeta's attack stopped. Before Piccolo could abort his offensive, Vegeta had already caught his arm,

"You're not going anywhere, Namekian," Vegeta crooned, smiling viciously. Piccolo began to sweat.

* * *

"Alright, is your reactor off?" Gohan asked. Eighteen nodded.

"Good! Now, I want you to bring out all of your ki. It's important to understand your limits, after all," he said. Eighteen showed her understanding and took a stance,

"Haa!" she grunted. A powerful lavender aura took form around her, creating a small wind.

 _"Incredible! Her ki is already on par with Ginyu!"_ Gohan marveled, _"Well, maybe this much is to be expected given her… advantages."_

Certainly, it would be unusual for a normal human to progress so quickly, but Eighteen had received significant modifications from Dr. Gero that could easily have unforeseeable effects on her; good or bad. It was possible that she would continue to grow stronger at an incredible rate.

 _"I hope she keeps getting stronger. Her personal strength seems to play a big role in her self-confidence,"_ Gohan thought. He shook his head when he realized Eighteen was looking expectantly at him,

"You're doing great, Eighteen! You're a lot stronger than you were in our last session!" he praised. Eighteen smiled slightly before turning away in a huff,

"You always say that. How do I know you're telling the truth?" she complained. Gohan started, surprised at her sudden disagreeability.

"Why would I lie about that?" he asked, genuinely curious. She shuffled her feet,

"I don't know. I just don't feel any stronger," she pouted.

Gohan was completely confused, _"Why is she suddenly acting like this?"_ he wondered. He thought about it for a while,

"Maybe it's because I'm the only one you have to compare to," He mused. Eighteen looked at him sharply, narrowing her eyes in thought.

"It's possible," she shrugged.

"Hmm… maybe I should arrange for a spar with… someone? Piccolo, maybe?" he pondered, "No. Maybe Yamcha? He might be a good choice. I'm not actually sure how strong he is. Is he around Ginyu's level?" He continued thinking about possible sparring partners for Eighteen. Finally he snapped his fingers,

"Trunks! He's perfect!"

Eighteen's eye twitched, "You mean the little kid with the lavender hair?" she asked.

"Yeah! I've seen him fight before; he's just about at your level!"

Eighteen glared at him coldly, "So, I'm on the same level as a four year old?"

Gohan sensed the sudden hostility and wisely back-stepped, "Well, you're strength when _only_ using ki, that is."

Eighteen's glare softened a little, "Fine, I guess I can fight the brat. Though, if he starts crying, I won't hold back."

"Don't worry, he's a tough kid. He trains with Vegeta, after all!" Gohan assured.

Eighteen sighed, shaking her head, "Anyway, now that that's settled, there is something else I've been meaning to ask you," she said.

"Oh! Uh, sure… go ahead."

"What is… 'mystic ki'?"

* * *

A/N: Sorry this chapter is late! I got fired on Thursday and that kind of killed my motivation for a while (I'm not in financial trouble or anything, so don't worry). Anyway, I've decided to slow my release schedule to one chapter/week. Keep in mind that when I originally promised 2/week, my chapters were 2,000 words each. I have since doubled that number, but did not change my schedule (a mistake, in hindsight).

On a related note, do you prefer two 2000 word chapters or one 4000 word chapter every week? I'm still trying to figure out what the best pace for me is.


	21. Chapter 21: Fighting and Cooties

Chapter 21: Fighting and Cooties

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Chichi continued watching Goten and Trunks play their game. Gohan and Eighteen had flown off elsewhere a while ago. She furrowed her brow, shaking her head,

"I need to go check on them!" she said, standing suddenly.

Bulma shook her head, loosing a breath, "Sit down, Chichi," she said, casually turning a page in her book. Chichi looked at her blue-haired friend, biting her thumb,

"But Bulma! Who knows what they could be doing off on their own?! What if it's something inappropriate! They're not even married yet!"

"Do you really think Gohan would do something like that? He's a good kid, Chichi. There's nothing to worry about," Bulma assured. She licked her finger before turning another page, "Besides, they're probably just training or something. Gohan came to me a while ago asking for ideas on increasing an android's strength. It seems my idea worked, since he hasn't brought it up since."

"Hold on a second! Does that mean you've known about their relationship for a while now? How come you didn't tell me!? Don't you think I have a right to know what's going on in my son's life?"

Bulma sighed, closing her book, "Chichi, if I gave away his secrets every time he came to me for advice, he wouldn't trust me anymore. Would you rather he look for advice elsewhere? With someone you don't know or trust?"

Chichi looked unsure, chewing on her nails nervously, "Well, perhaps not," she admitted, _"Even so, you should have told me!"_ she thought, then took a second to actually consider it. She shook her head, _"I can't keep being unreasonable like this! Bulma's right; he needs someone trustworthy to confide in. No matter how I wish he could just confide in ME! Though, I guess it makes sense; it's not like_ I _told daddy everything when I was younger, either."_

Chichi sighed, defeated, "I guess you're right," she said. Then she straightened, regaining the usual fire in her eyes, "But that doesn't mean I have to like it!"

Bulma smiled, "Of course not!"

* * *

"Show me!"

"I'm not sure I can!"

"Why not?"

Gohan rubbed his neck nervously, "Well… it's not something I can use whenever I want. I used it a few days ago, so I may not be able to use it again for another few; maybe even a week."

Eighteen frowned, crossing her arms, "As soon as you're able you're _going_ to show me, understand?" she insisted, _"Seriously, is there some kind of trick to gaining new forms? How is it that Saiyans seem to have so many?"_

Gohan nodded amiably, "Sure thing! I wanted to show you anyway! It's pretty cool, after all!"

"Good! It's a win-win, then."

Gohan laughed, "Yeah, I guess so!"

They stared at each other a while, awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. Gohan looked away first, blushing inexplicably. The silence stretched. Suddenly, Gohan gasped; looking at Eighteen in a panic,

"I wasn't supposed to tell you about divine ki! I wasn't supposed to tell _Dende_ about divine ki! I promised Grand Kai not to tell _anyone_!" he panicked, pulling at his hair.

Eighteen looked at him, shocked at his outburst, "Calm down!" she demanded, "What's the big deal? I'm not going to tell anyone else. I doubt your green friend will either," she reminded him.

Gohan slowly calmed down, "Right! That's a good point. Dende already knew about divine ki, anyway! He shouldn't be a problem… I suppose the problem is that I told _you_ ," he sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Still, it's not like I could have hid it from you for long. You were bound to find out!"

"You could have told me it was 'mystic ki' like you thought before," Eighteen shrugged.

Gohan grimaced at the thought, "That would mean lying to you," he said.

Eighteen raised a brow, "What? You've never lied before?"

Gohan shook his head, "That's not it. I just don't want to lie to _you_."

"Aww, that's sweet," she teased. Though she seemed sarcastic, her smile was genuine. Gohan chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head,

"Well… it just doesn't feel right. Lying to you, that is."

Eighteen approached him, placing a hand on his chest, "For what it's worth… I don't like the idea of lying to _you_ , either."

Gohan flushed and took a quick step back, breaking their contact, "Uh… thanks… ," he said, not sure how he should respond to that. His heart was suddenly beating very fast; it was kind of uncomfortable. Eighteen frowned, but didn't complain.

She placed her hands on her hips, "Now, wasn't there some talk of me beating up a little kid, earlier? Are we still planning on doing that?"

Gohan smiled, though it was strained, "Do you have to put it like that? You make us sound like thugs or something!" he complained.

"Who cares?" she huffed. She took to the air, heading back to Capsule Corp.

"Ah! Wait for me!"

* * *

Goten noticed them first, getting ready to throw the ball. His distraction ruined his aim, and he ended up decimating a bush.

"Gohan's back!" he exclaimed, ignoring the damage he had just caused. He waved energetically as his brother and the strange lady descended, landing on the grass.

"Oh! Hey, Gohan!" Trunks greeted, giving a nonchalant wave.

"Hey, you two! Having fun?" Gohan asked. Goten and Trunks nodded. Gohan grinned, "Want to have _more_ fun?"

Goten jumped up and down excitedly, "Yeah! What're we gonna do?"

Trunks calmly examined a hand, "Well, I suppose that'd be fine," he said haughtily.

Gohan chuckled, "I was thinking of having a little sparring session. Do you guys wanna join?"

Trunks' eyes widened and he tried to suppress a grin, _"Sparring with Gohan? Yes!"_ he rejoiced. He had only sparred with Gohan once before, but it was easily one of his favorites. Gohan was really helpful, and he didn't hit too hard! Of course, Trunks loved his dad, but sparring with him was more like a survival exercise.

"Really, Gohan?! Really really?" Goten asked excitedly. Gohan grinned and nodded,

"Yeah, really."

Trunks couldn't suppress his excitement anymore, grabbing Gohan's hand and dragging him along, "Come on, let's go to the gravity chamber! Dad's not here right now, so we can use it!"

"Alright, alright! I can walk you know!" Gohan said.

"Well, walk faster!" Trunks demanded. Goten and Eighteen followed them to the semi-spherical building that housed the gravity chamber.

"Hey, Trunks, where is your dad anyway?" Gohan asked.

Trunks shrugged, "Dunno."

Gohan rolled his eyes, _"Well, that's helpful!"_

The group of four entered the chamber. The floor was covered in red tiles, and the rounded walls were made of some kind of metal. In the center was a control console that extended to the ceiling of the dome-like room. There were lines in the wall, indicating panels that could open to release training bots.

Trunks marched up to the console, reaching for the gravity controls by habit.

"Hold on, Trunks," Gohan called. Trunks' hand stopped in the action of turning the dial. He turned his head back to look at Gohan, brow raised questioningly, "Let's leave the gravity alone. Eighteen isn't used to fighting under increased gravity," Gohan said.

Eighteen huffed indignantly, _"I'd do just fine! It can't be that hard."_

"Oh! OK, then," Trunks acquiesced. He looked at Eighteen scrutinizingly, _"Her name is Eighteen? What kind of name is that?"_ he wondered. Eighteen noticed his stare and returned one of her own. Trunks quickly looked away from her intimidating gaze.

 _"I'm not scared or anything! It's just… mom said it's rude to stare at people!"_ He defended himself. He smirked and nodded, arms crossed, convinced by his own excuse.

Gohan clapped his hands together, gaining everyone's attention, "Alright! First up: Trunks and Eighteen!" he announced. Eighteen shrugged and walked to an open area, waiting with her hands on her hips.

"Hold on! I thought I was gonna fight _you_!" Trunks objected, pointing an accusing finger at Gohan, "I don't wanna fight a girl! They have _cooties_!"

"Ahahaha!" Gohan laughed merrily, holding his stomach.

Eighteen frowned sulkily, _"This brat is really asking for it."_

Goten suddenly ran away, hiding behind Gohan's leg, "Trunks! What are _cooties_?" he asked warily, peeking out from his cover. Trunks curled his hands into fists, placing them on his hips. He closed his eyes and lowered his head solemnly,

"I should have known you'd be ignorant to the unparalleled terror that is 'the cootie'," he spoke seriously. He raised his head and opened his eyes, staring down his younger friend,

"Cooties are like tiny bugs that live on girls. If you come into contact with them too often, you might be infected with them. Before long you'll be wearing pink and playing with dolls, and then… ," he paused suspensefully.

"What! What happens then," Goten asked, eyes wide with fear; clutching Gohan's pants tightly.

Trunks shuddered dramatically, "Then… then… YOU TURN INTO A GIRL!" he shouted. Goten screamed in horror,

"I don't wanna be a girl! Gohan, what do I do? I don't want cooties!" he blabbered, pulling on Gohan's pants frantically.

Eighteen stifled laughter with a hand, feeling bad for the little guy but amused at the same time. Gohan smiled when he saw her mirth, before kneeling next to Goten to calm him down,

"Don't worry, Goten. I know a secret way to keep the cooties away forever!" he assured the frantic child. Goten stood still and stared at him,

"Really? You gotta tell me, Gohan! Please! Pleasepleasepleaseplease… ," Goten begged. Gohan smiled indulgently,

"Alright, alright! Quiet down so I can tell you."

"Oh! OK!"

"Have you ever wondered why mom makes you read so much?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah! All the time!"

"That's because cooties _hate_ books!" Gohan explained. Goten looked at him in wonder, "So if you read every day, you'll never have to worry about being infected!"

Goten's eyes widened in realization, "That's why you study everyday!"

Gohan nodded encouragingly, "Exactly right! It seems you finally understand. But… you have to promise not to tell anyone else, okay? This is a _super secret_ method, after all!"

Goten nodded rapidly, "I got it! I won't tell!" he agreed.

Trunks held his forehead in one hand, watching Goten jump around happily, _"How gullible can you be?"_

Eighteen cleared her throat, "That was cute and all, but do you think we can get to the fight now?" she asked.

* * *

Piccolo clutched the stump of his arm, sitting in an empty lava tube. His breath came in heavy bursts, rattling through his windpipe. He distracted himself from the pain by thinking about the nonsensical floating island he currently inhabited,

 _"Honestly, how can a floating rock be volcanically active? Volcanoes occur as a result of pressure build-up beneath the earth's crust. This stupid island shouldn't have a comparable molten core, so where does the magma come from? It's not large enough to have it's own gravity, so what would cause the pressure?"_

A sudden spark of pain ended that line of thought, and he was reminded of how he had lost his arm.

 _"Not one of my best ideas, but I didn't have many options,"_ he thought. Vegeta had set an admirable trap, and Piccolo fell right into it. His arm had been caught and he had a vision of being beaten senseless by the pompous ass. So, Piccolo did the first thing that came to mind; cut off his arm. Vegeta was so shocked he didn't even _try_ to stop Piccolo's escape.

"Hehehe… the face he made... almost made it worth it," he gasped, grinning through the pain. He winced at another spark of pain, " ...almost."

* * *

Eighteen blocked and weaved through a flurry of punches, careful not to take any on directly. Instead, she skillfully diverted the force away; nullifying most of the damage.

 _"I'd rather not admit it, but this brat it stronger than me; at least, physically. His fighting style is too simple, though. A straightforward assault is only feasible when you have the power to overwhelm your enemy. He's not_ that _much stronger than me."_

She thought back to the handful of training sessions with Gohan, wondering if he always analyzed their fights the way she was right now.

Trunks suddenly fell back, one hand holding his other wrist.

 _"Some kind of special attack?"_ Eighteen wondered. Trunks began gathering ki into his hand. Eighteen observed critically, _"It's taking him far too long. Is he bad at controlling ki?"_ she thought. She shrugged dismissively, _"Doesn't matter. He's not finishing whatever it is he started."_

She shot forward, sweeping his legs out from under him before he knew what was happening. He yelped in surprise, trying to catch himself. The back of Eighteen's hand swung around, catching him in the cheek. He was sent a meter into the air before Eighteen grabbed his arm, swinging him around then sending him hurdling into the metal wall.

"Auugh!" he grunted, bouncing off the wall and falling to the floor. He slowly got up, rubbing a new bump on the back of his head. He looked at Eighteen and growled in frustration. He pulled his arms next to his torso, gritting his teeth,

"Haaah!" he shouted, flaring a white aura. The tiles beneath his feet shook, and a wind picked up around him. A few seconds later, his shouting stopped; aura disappearing. Then _he_ disappeared.

Eighteen quickly braced herself. A foot to the back sent her reeling across the tiled floor. Her face tightened from the pain, but she shrugged it off. She searched for her adversary, before remembering she could sense ki. She managed to locate him before his fist could reach her face, deflecting his attack and countering with a punch to his gut.

"Buhh!" Trunks gasped, air escaping his lungs. He clenched his eyes for a second before remembering to protect himself. Eighteen sent a knee towards his torso, but impacted his arms instead; crossed in front of his stomach. Trunks was sent sliding back until he managed to stop himself.

They both paused, catching their breath. Trunks wiped some spittle from his chin, grateful that it wasn't blood instead. Eighteen absently noted a tear in her sleeve, _"Maybe I should have worn an outfit more suited for fighting?"_ she wondered.

She started when Trunks began gathering ki in his hand, the other hand holding his wrist, _"This again? He seems determined to do it. I'll admit… I'm a bit curious about what he'll do."_

She decided not to attack, instead taking the time to raise her ki internally, _"I suppose this_ does _take longer compared to raising it externally,"_ she thought. Gohan had mentioned that every fighter he knew used the external method, _"I've always had near perfect control over my 'other' energy, so there wasn't a need to raise it externally."_

It seemed Trunks was nearly done charging his attack. His fist was surrounded by a flaming blue aura, flickering violently. He appeared to be struggling, lips pulled back in a grimace. Sweat rolled down his face as he worked to keep the intense ki stable.

Gohan's eyes widened in fear, "Trunks! NO!" he yelled. His thoughts flashed back to one of his fights with Piccolo. He had attempted to use this move but Piccolo had countered it, throwing him into the ground. He had lost concentration, and the volatile ki exploded; injuring his hand.

 _"There's no way Trunks can handle that attack! Eighteen won't be able to block it; there's too much energy! Where did he even learn that?!"_

He shook his head, _"No time to worry about that! I have to do something before someone gets hurt!"_

Trunks kicked off, hard. He flew towards Eighteen, ready to win the fight.

Gohan was about to step in when he saw Eighteen's stance. She had one hand positioned over the other in front of her. Each hand was shrouded in a membrane of serene violet ki. Her face was set with determination.

 _"She's won't even_ try _to dodge. Can she really handle it?"_ he wondered. He agonized over whether he should interfere or not. On the one hand, the situation was very dangerous; someone could die. On the other… well, he trusted Eighteen. She seemed confident she could deal with it. Maybe he should leave it to her?

The decision wasn't his to make anymore. He had spent too much time thinking and lost the chance to take action.

Trunks sent forward his blazing fist, colliding with Eighteen's hands. A wave of force spread out between them, kicking up a storm of dust. Eighteen was pushed back slowly, shoes squeaking against tiles. Eighteen clenched her teeth, pushing back as hard as she could.

Trunks bared his teeth, _"There's no way I'm gonna lose! I train every day with my dad, and he's_ way _stronger than you!"_

Eighteen smirked mischievously. She twisted her hands until they were wrapped around his fist. Then she side-stepped and sent it right into the ground! There was a great boom at the collision and the tiles easily shattered. The ground underneath buckled then cratered from the force of his ki.

Trunks used his other arm to shield himself from the flying debris. Suddenly, he realized Eighteen was not holding his arm anymore, _"Where'd she go?!"_ he panicked. He looked around but the dust was too thick to see anything. He felt an arm wrap around his neck, a hand covered in sharp ki near his jaw.

"I'd say this is my win," Eighteen said. Trunks nodded tersely, careful not to touch the sharp ki. Eighteen smiled, "This was pretty fun. Nice fight, kid."

Trunks smiled, despite his frustration at losing. Eighteen released him. Gohan approached them, worry on his face,

"Are you two alright?" he asked. He kneeled to examine Trunks, looking for any serious injuries. They both nodded. After he had ascertained for himself that Trunks was healthy the worry faded from his face, replaced by a stern expression,

"Trunks, where did you learn that technique?" he asked, grasping the boy's shoulders. Trunks looked away, avoiding Gohan's eyes. Gohan frowned, "Trunks, tell me."

"Uh, well… I saw you use it once," Trunks admitted, fiddling with his hands guiltily, "I thought it was cool, so I tried to copy it."

Gohan closed his eyes in resignation, "Do you understand how dangerous that was? That technique is very difficult to control. You could have destroyed your hand!" he scolded.

Trunks looked down, face red in shame, "I- I'm sorry, Gohan. I didn't know," he apologized, rubbing away a stray tear from his eye.

Gohan sighed wearily, "I'm not angry Trunks, I'm just worried that you might hurt yourself," he said, "Promise you won't use that technique again until I've made sure you have the proper control to use it, OK?"

Trunks nodded, sniffing, "OK, Gohan," he agreed. Gohan smiled and stood.

"Good. Now, how about we all go get some ice cream?" he suggested. Trunks grinned and Goten whooped in joy. Eighteen shrugged,

"Sure, why not?"

* * *

Gohan opened a drawer, shuffling through it's contents, "Hmm… not here."

He opened the one beneath it, then the one beneath it, "Nope," he sighed. He kneeled and reached an arm under his bed, shoving aside shoe-boxes full of old homework, "Nuh-uh."

He stood and placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought, "Where could it be?" he asked himself. There was a knock on his door,

"Gohan! It's almost time for bed!" Chichi called.

"Alright, mom!" he called back, _"Oh, wait! I should ask mom,"_ he thought. He opened the door quickly, "Hey, mom? Have you seen the four-star ball?" he asked.

Chichi paused, hefting a laundry basket full of clothes under one arm. She placed a finger on her lips, "Didn't you leave it with Dende when we went to otherworld? Did you remember to retrieve it?"

Gohan snapped his fingers, "No, I totally forgot! No wonder I couldn't find it!"

He smiled at his mother, "Thanks for the help, mom!"

Chichi returned the smile, "You're welcome, sweetie! Now go to bed," she commanded.

Gohan nodded, "Goodnight, mom."

* * *

Gohan landed on the lookout, quickly heading inside, "Hey, Dende! Are you here?" he called.

Before long his Namekian friend appeared, staff clicking on the floor, "Ah, Gohan! What brings you here so early?"

"I kinda forgot to grab the four-star ball yesterday, so I came to pick it up."

"Oh! Now that you mention it, I forgot about that too. Well, just follow me; we'll go get it."

Dende turned and left the main chamber. Gohan followed. They traveled down a long hallway, passing doors and openings to other hallways. Morning light shone through the windows in bright shafts, illuminating the hall.

Eventually they stopped before a door, appearing exactly the same as all the others, _"How does Dende navigate this place?"_ Gohan wondered. Dende looked at him from the corner of his eye, smiling knowingly.

He opened the door, revealing a small room. The walls were white, and the floor made of marble. There were seven raised pedestals with deep red cushions atop them. A large tapestry of Shenlong decorated the wall furthest from them. Below the tapestry sat a table covered in white cloth. A stone statue of Shenlong sat on it, within a glass case.

Dende's smile faded, replaced by shock. Gohan looked around curiously, not noticing Dende's expression.

"It's gone!" Dende shouted. Gohan looked at him curiously,

"What's gone?"

Dende was still staring straight at one of the empty cushions, "The four-star dragonball! I placed it on this pedestal, but now it's not here!"

Gohan looked at the pedestal Dende indicated. He noticed it had four stars carved onto the front in the same orientation as the dragonball.

"What do you think happened to it?" Gohan asked.

Dende held his forehead in one hand, "Stolen! That's the only explanation."

Gohan scratched his head, "How?"

"I don't know. Nobody should be able to enter the lookout without my knowledge!"

"Well, obviously someone did."

"I can see that!" Dende scathed. Gohan took a step back, hands held up in defence,

"Hey, calm down, Dende! It's not a big deal! Somebody probably wants to make a wish or something. I can just wait until the dragonballs scatter again."

Dende took a deep breath and released it, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, Gohan. I didn't mean to snap at you like that," Dende apologized.

"Don't worry about it, Dende," Gohan replied. Dende nodded in appreciation. Gohan closed his eyes for a second, _"I guess if the dragonball isn't here I should go ahead and find Krillin. I need to tell him about the 'premier' thingy."_

"Alright, Dende, I'll see you later. I have to go take care of something," Gohan said, waving as he jogged back down the hall.

"Oh, OK. See you later, Gohan," Dende waved back.

* * *

A/N: Here's this weeks chapter. The chapter released earlier this week doesn't count, since it was supposed to be done the week before.


	22. Chapter 22: A Heavy Blow

Chapter 22: A Heavy Blow

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Gohan knocked on Kame house's door, waiting patiently. There was a rumble and some thumping sounds before the door swung violently open,

"Is she here?!" Master Roshi exclaimed. He paused when he noticed Gohan, adjusting his sunglasses, "Oh, it's you," he peeked his head past Gohan looking this way and that before sighing, "What did you need, my boy?" he asked.

Gohan raised a brow, "Expecting someone else?"

"Oh, no, no. Just… waiting for a package," Master Roshi replied, _"That damn mail-order bride ad must have been a scam!"_ he cursed.

"Oh! Ok. I was actually looking for Krillin. Is he here?" Gohan asked.

Master Roshi shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not. Lately, Krillin only returns here to sleep."

"Really? Why's that?"

Master Roshi was silent a moment, "That… is something you should find out for yourself," he answered vaguely. He raised a hand pointing towards the ocean, "Fly that way until you see an island. That's where Krillin has been training. You should find him there."

"Ok, Master Roshi. Thanks for the help!" Gohan said. He waved before taking off.

* * *

Krillin threw punch after punch. He ignored the pain doing so caused. He was in a strange state of mind at the moment; a trance, almost. Step forward, rotate the waist, launch a fist with full strength, repeat. Each punch resounded like the crack of a whip.

 _"It's only a matter of time. If I just keep pushing myself, I'll overcome my limits for sure!"_ he thought. His awareness slowly faded, falling into the steady rhythm of punches. However, before long his arms began to shake. Then his legs. Then his whole body,

 _"Dammit! This always happens!"_ he cursed. The unfortunate side effect of constantly pushing your body was the occasional complete loss of control and subsequent collapse. He struggled to stay upright, determined to work past his infirmity. He shut his eyes tight in concentration, willing the shaking to stop. Slowly, the shaking calmed into a slight, infrequent twitch. Krillin smiled shakily,

"There we go. That's the way," he said. He took a deep breath before slowly pulling an arm back near his waist. He took another breath, "Going good. Baby steps, Krillin."

He paused and gathered all the strength he had left, _"If I only have one punch left, it's going to be the best damn punch there ever was!"_ he thought, determined. Another breath. His weight shifted forward, focusing on the ball of his front foot. His waist turned as his back foot pushed against the ground. His arm launched forward, taking all the concentrated strength and momentum with it! His fist sliced through the air, "HAH!"

The air around him vibrated and thrummed like some great bell. Krillin smiled wearily, "Not too shabby," he gasped, "If I do say so myself."

He collapsed to his knees, hands on the ground for support. He breathed heavily as the shaking returned in full force. His heart beat rapidly, as though it would burst soon, _"I'm improving! If I had done that a few days ago I would have blacked out immediately!"_ he exulted.

He carefully turned himself over, lying on his back. Half-lidded eyes watched the clouds pass by, _"I wonder… have I become a little closer? How do I compare to Goku now?"_ he thought wistfully. His eyes slowly closed, and he slept.

* * *

It ran through the dense forest, making it's way through the mountain range to it's destination. Foliage passed by in a blur at the speed it moved.

 _"It's quite annoying, having to avoid ki use. I can't allow myself to be discovered right now. I still haven't regained my life yet,"_ it thought. The surroundings started to become familiar. Finally, it spotted it's target,

 _"Ah, there it is! The good doctor's lab! I'm certain I can find a device to locate the dragonballs there."_

It nimbly hopped it's way up the mountain.

* * *

Gohan flew above a sparkling sea, heading to the island Krillin trained on. He frowned, _"Krillin's ki is really faint. He must be pretty worn out."_

He began to worry, _"His ki is_ too _faint! It feels more like he's on the verge of death!"_ he panicked. He flared his ki, flying faster. Before long he came across the island. He saw a speck of orange along the top of a rocky cliff, _"There he is!"_

He quickly descended, "Krillin! Wake up! Are you OK!?" he shouted. Gohan landed next to Krillin's prone form, _"What's with all these injuries?!"_ he thought. Krillin was covered in bruises, and he still shook despite being asleep. Gohan knelt beside his friend, trying to think of what to do next.

 _"He needs help! But the lookout is too far, and I'm not sure I should be carrying him in his state,"_ he worried. His eyes lit up, _"Hold on! I have a senzu bean!"_

He dug around in his pocket, pulling out the green bean. Prying Krillin's mouth open carefully, he dropped the senzu in; tilting his head back so he would swallow it. The marks on Krillin's body faded miraculously. His eyes rolled under their lids, before popping open.

"Oh, Gohan!" he exclaimed, "Hey, buddy! How's it going?" he asked, smiling as though Gohan hadn't just found him half-dead. He pushed himself into a sitting position, "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Gohan stared at him blankly, _"Is he just going to ignore the state he was in a few seconds ago?"_ he wondered. He shook his head once, deciding to let the matter drop. Then he shook his head again, changing his mind, "Krillin, how come you were in such bad shape when I found you? I had to give you a senzu bean!"

Krillin scratched his head sheepishly, "Yeah, I may have gone a bit overboard with training!"

Gohan's eyes widened, "You were training!? I thought you were attacked or something! What kind of training are you doing?!" he yelled.

Krillin shrugged, "Oh, you know! Just normal training stuff," he said evasively, avoiding eye contact. He furrowed his brow, _"Gohan gave me a senzu bean? Does that mean I'll have to start my training from the beginning?"_ he thought. He sighed, _"I really hope not."_

He pushed himself up, "So, what exactly did you come here for?"

Gohan quirked a brow in confusion for a second, "Oh!" he said, finally remembering that he _had_ come here for a reason.

"Hmm, how to put this?" he mused, rubbing his chin.

 _"I can't just tell him that Eighteen decided he would be going on a date with her friend, can I?"_ he considered, _"I mean, didn't Krillin have a crush on Eighteen? Somehow the fact that_ I'm _going with Eighteen while he has to go with her friend seems kind of… well... I don't know! But it doesn't seem right!"_

Krillin sighed, waiting for Gohan to finally speak.

Gohan began to sweat a bit, _"I really should have thought about this_ before _I came! Calm down, Gohan! There's got to be a way to explain this_ without _hurting Krillin's feelings!"_

Krillin began tapping a foot, looking at a non-existent watch.

Gohan pulled at the collar of his shirt, nervously, "Well, y'see, I've got this friend and she has to go to this, uh, party... thing. She asked me to go with her, but her friend doesn't have anyone to go with so… ," he trailed off, thinking of how to say the next part.

Krillin rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Let me guess, I was _volunteered_ for the honor, right?" he grumbled, _"The friend he's talking about is_ definitely _Eighteen."_

Gohan chuckled apprehensively, "Heh heh, well… yeah," he said. He put his hands out in supplication, "But you don't have to go if you don't want to! I can probably convince her to change her mind! ...probably."

Krillin shrugged and gave Gohan a roguish smirk, "Alright, I'll go."

Gohan's eyes widened, "You will!?"

"Yeah, sure; why not?" Krillin said. He crossed his arms, "By the way; who am I going with, anyway?"

"Oh, uh, her name's Mascara."

"What's she like?"

"Um… I've never actually met her… ," Gohan hedged. He snapped his fingers, "I'll call Ei- uh, my friend and ask her to set up a meeting so you can get to know her before the premier."

"Hold on!" Krillin said, "Before you do that, there is a condition for my agreement."

Gohan raised a brow, "A condition?"

Krillin nodded, "Yeah. I want to know how my power measures up to a Super Saiyan. I know I can't beat you in a real fight right now but… ," he pause a moment, considering his next words, "I want you to let me hit you! Just once, with my full power!" he yelled, eyes shut tight.

Gohan blinked a few times, Krillin's words slowly sinking in. A smile crept it's way up his face, "Alright," he agreed, nodding. He took a few steps back, then transitioned to his golden form with a quick grunt. He set his legs a shoulder-width apart, arms bent at his sides, leaving himself unguarded, "Ready when you are!"

Krillin looked at him with shock, "Wait, you're actually letting me?! What if I hurt you?!"

Gohan raised a brow, "Why'd you ask if you're afraid to hurt me?"

Krillin looked at the ground, rubbing his head in embarrassment, "It was kind of 'spur of the moment' y'know? I mean, I didn't really think it through... ," he said, laughing nervously.

"Ah, come on! You got me all curious about how strong you are now!" Gohan complained, "It'll be fine! Worse come to worst you can just take me to the lookout so Dende can fix me up," he said.

"Ahh, I don't know. Now that I think about it, it really isn't a good idea," Krillin whined, wringing his hands.

"C'mon, Krillin! You've been training hard enough to nearly kill yourself, but you can't even hit me once? I knew that I might get hurt when I agreed, but I accepted that! Don't underestimate my resolve!"

Krillin took a step back from the intensity in Gohan's speech. His face set into a grim expression, fists clenched, "Alright, Gohan. When you put it like that I can't refuse."

Gohan smiled and settled back into his stance, "Give me all you've got!"

"Count on it!" Krillin yelled. He flared his ki, raising it to his limit. The white flame scattered the rocks at his feet; the cliff shook, dislodging chunks at the edge. He let the aura disperse, feeling his ki rage inside. He took a breath, slowly pulling his fist back to his waist. His muscles flexed, drawn taut like a bow. He paused,

"Brace yourself, Gohan!" he warned. He received a smirk in reply. He launched forward, "Haaah!"

His fist collided with Gohan's stomach, twisting and sinking in. Gohan's eyes nearly popped out; his feet leaving the ground. The momentum caught up and he was sent flying; rolling and bouncing off the ground. He bounced one more time and suddenly there was no ground beneath him.

"Oh, crap! The cliff! If he falls into the water, he might drown!" Krillin yelped. He quickly took to the air, ready to fish his friend out of the sea, _"This is why I said it wasn't a good idea! I shouldn't have let him talk me into it!"_

He flew over the edge, looking for any sign of Gohan.

"Down… hah… here!"

Krillin took his eyes off the ocean, looking at the side of the cliff instead. Gohan was hanging off a protruding rock; the other hand holding his stomach.

Gohan coughed, spitting up some blood. A crimson line dripped down his chin, "Gotta… hand it to you," he gritted through clenched teeth, "That was a… hah… good hit."

The gold in his hair faded, returning to black. His grip on the rock slackened a bit, "Hey, Krillin… a little help?" he asked, looking at the monk with half-lidded eyes.

Krillin finally snapped out of his stupor, "Oh! Right! Of course!"

He helped Gohan back up, setting him down on the clifftop, "Hey, are you OK, Gohan? You coughed up some blood a second ago. Maybe we should go to the lookout?" he said, softly.

Gohan smiled, snorting in exasperation, "I'll be fine. Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath."

Krillin sighed, "If you say so."

"I do."

Krillin sat down next to Gohan, leaning back on his hands. Gohan lay back, hands resting on his chest.

* * *

It looked down at the crater in rage, _"How dare they!"_ it thought, shaking violently. What had once been Dr. Gero's lab was now rubble. Just a rather large crater in the side of a mountain.

 _"Where the hell am I supposed to find a radar now?!"_ it fumed. Without a radar it would be impossible to find the dragonballs before he ran out of energy. It gnashed it's teeth, _"I can feel my energy slipping away bit by bit! At this rate I won't be able to maintain a body here for more than a few days! And that's only if I conserve my ki carefully!"_

It raised a shaky hand to it's forehead, trying to calm itself, _"Think! I was born with an incredible amount of information planted within me! There must be something that can remedy this!"_

Cell shut his eyes tight, focusing on memories he had dismissed as useless long ago. A minute later they opened, "Haha… another lab! _Of course_ he had more labs! What kind of mad scientist has only one lab?"

All the tension seeped away from his form. He looked up at the sky, an unsettling grin on his face, "It seems hope is not lost," he said quietly, "I should have known things would work out. After all… ," His eyes opened wide, grin becoming feral, "I am the ultimate specimen! I am destined to conquer all! Rule all! Destroy all! I am the perfect being! The very existence of other lifeforms is a slight to my superiority!"

He lowered his head, catching his breath. He raised it again, eyes narrowed, "It won't be long… and I won't be forced to tolerate them any longer," he breathed.

He took off, heading towards Gero's second lab.

* * *

Eighteen took another bite of her ice cream, savoring the chocolatey taste. She sat on the large couch in the living room of her apartment; legs covered by a warm blanket. The room was dark, lit only by the glow of the television. Mascara lay on her stomach in a nest of pillows and blankets she had set up on the floor. Both girls were wearing pajamas, apropos of a sleepover.

Mascara snickered, turning away from the tv to look at her blonde friend, "Hey, isn't this the scene where you bit your tongue three times trying to say your lines?"

Eighteen scowled, _"I hate watching this movie. I can't help but spot all the flaws in my performance."_ She looked at Mascara with narrowed eyes, _"And she_ knows _that!"_

"Did you want me to bring up the time you glued your fingers together trying to put on fake nails?" Eighteen asked archly. Mascara blushed and shook her head, turning back to the movie. Eighteen smirked victoriously.

A loud sound rang out, making Eighteen and Mascara look at the table beside the couch. Eighteen's phone had lit up. She reached for it, trying not to spill her bowl of ice cream.

She looked at the screen, a brow raised in surprise, "Gohan, huh?" she commented. She placed her bowl of ice cream on the table.

Mascara jumped up, squealing annoyingly, "Oh my God! Ok, put it on speaker!" she demanded, hopping on the couch next to Eighteen. Eighteen looked at her in confusion,

"No? Why on earth would I do that?" she asked.

"How can I tell you how to respond if I can't hear what he says?"

"What gave you the idea that I would need your help?"

"Aww, come on, Eighteen! I'm totally good at dealing with boys! I'll have him eating out of the palm of your hand in like fifteen minutes!" Mascara pled, eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

Eighteen stared at her through narrow eyes, "Says the girl who had to ask her friend to ask _her_ friend to ask _his_ friend to be her date," she deadpanned. Mascara winced,

"Well, that's… I mean… ," she growled in frustration, "Every time I meet a guy he turns out to be a total scumbag that just wants in my pants!" she whined, "I just figured that you like Gohan so much, so he must be a good guy, right?" she asked, not waiting for Eighteen to answer, "Therefore! His friends will probably be good guys too, right? At least this way the chance of me actually enjoying the premier is greater than if I searched for a date on my own," she frowned poutily.

Eighteen was a bit nonplussed at the torrent of words, until she realized the phone was still ringing. She quickly pressed the 'talk' button,

"Hello? Gohan?"

 _"Hey, Ei- uh… hi,"_

"What's up? _I'm_ usually the one who calls _you_ ," she asked. Mascara gasped, scandalized. Eighteen absently pushed her away with a foot.

 _"Oh, right. It's about Krillin… I told him about the premier and all,"_ he started, _"But uh… he kinda wants to meet Mascara. Beforehand, that is."_

"Oh, OK," she replied, "We were planning on that anyway. Did I forget to tell you?"

 _"Yeah, I think you did. I don't remember hearing anything like that. Anyway, in that case when should he meet her?"_

Eighteen looked at Mascara, _"Saturday?"_ she mouthed. Mascara gave a cheerful thumbs up.

"Saturday," she answered. She paused, "At the mall in West City. You come too, Gohan. It'll be a good chance to get you some proper clothes."

 _"Oh! Ok, then. I'll see you Saturday,"_ he replied.

Eighteen smiled, "See you then," she said, hanging up.

Mascara clutched her chest dramatically, wiping away a false tear, "The smile of a maiden in love; it's so bright! I can't bear to look any longer, lest the light of the world forever be taken from me!"

Eighteen's eye twitched, "I can see why you're not an actress," she said, "And I'm not in love with Gohan, he's just a kid!" she insisted, _"I'm fairly sure it's just infatuation. It'll go away in time,"_ she thought.

Mascara let out an explosive breath, "You're always such a killjoy! Can't you just play along for once?!"

"I'm fairly sure I've said this before but, 'not at my expense'."

* * *

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long; it really gave me a lot of trouble. I think I've lost track of where I'm supposed to be in my schedule, so I'll just say this is this week's chapter. Next chapter will come out next week. I'll try to release it before Wednesday.

On a slightly related note, I started a little side-project in the hopes it would help me past my writer's block. I intend to keep it relatively short; less than 20,000 words. I'll release it once it's done, rather than chapter by chapter. That'll give me time to edit the story as a whole. Hopefully that will make it more cohesive and consistent quality-wise. I'll probably only write for it when I'm having trouble with Fledgling Deity, so I'm not sure how long it'll be before I release it. It's set slightly before the Cell games.

tentative summary: Vegeta let's Goku and Gohan enter the time chamber first. This spells bad news for Cell.


	23. Chapter 23: The Date

Chapter 23: The Date

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

Dende stood on the edge of the lookout, eyes closed and brow furrowed, _"What is this ominous feeling I've been getting?"_ he wondered. He reached out mentally, searching the earth for any abnormalities. Unfortunately, there was simply too much area to cover, _"I hope it's just indigestion or something."_

His ear twitched at the sound of heavy footsteps, _"Are Piccolo and Vegeta finally done with their fight? …I hope Vegeta didn't kill Piccolo. Though, I wouldn't complain if Piccolo killed Vegeta,"_ he thought callously.

He turned around, seeing both Vegeta and Piccolo, _"Damn, Vegeta's still alive,"_ he clicked his tongue. They were both beat up, but capable of walking upright. Before Dende could say anything, Vegeta scowled and took off. Piccolo smirked.

Dende approached his mentor, "So, how'd it go? Did you win?"

Piccolo continued smirking, "Well… in a way," he answered vaguely. Dende quirked a brow, prompting Piccolo to elaborate, "Vegeta got fed up with how long the fight was taking. I guess having to be on guard for over a day was getting to him," he explained, shrugging, "He seems to think it was a draw, but we both know _I_ won."

Piccolo took a large breath, absently rubbing his newly regenerated arm, "So, you think you can heal me up?"

"Oh! Of course. Just a second," Dende said.

* * *

"The four-star ball was stolen? That's unexpected," Piccolo grunted. He pulled his pristine weighted cape over his head, settling it in place, "Do you think it was one of us?"

Dende sighed, "That seems like the most likely explanation. But if that's the case, I don't understand why they wouldn't just ask. It's not like I would try to prevent them from making a wish. Gohan surely wouldn't mind letting a friend have the four-star ball."

"Hmph, it was probably Yamcha or that pig. Those two seem like the most selfish of those amongst us," Piccolo posited.

Dende winced, "Let's not start pointing fingers now. We don't have any evidence that that is the case."

Piccolo put his weighted hat on, tucking his antenna in, "Do you want me to start gathering the dragonballs? That way we can ensure that no wish is made without our knowledge," he offered.

Dende shook his head, "No. Chances are this thief won't be able to find all the other dragonballs anyway. And if it's one of the z-fighters then there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

Piccolo adjusted his gi, "Have it your way, then."

* * *

Gohan flipped his math book shut with a sigh. He picked up papers filled with his practice problems, flipping through them to find any mistakes. He set the pile down, fishing out a paper clip and fastening it over the corner.

"Whew, that's that done! And that's also all for today!" he exclaimed. He checked the clock, "Almost time to meet up with Eighteen!" he grinned. He stood up, putting his books away. He opened his closet, sifting through his clothes,

 _"This time I'll dress up and impress Eighteen!"_ he thought, snickering in anticipation of her reaction, _"Hmm, what to wear?"_ He pushed some hanging shirts aside. He noticed an ornate box in the corner, _"What's this?"_

He took the lid off. Inside was a white, traditional, button-up shirt, _"Oh! This is the outfit I wore that week before the Cell games!"_ he thought. He pulled it out to look at it. Immediately he realized, _"Oh, right. That was four years ago. It won't fit me now,"_ he sighed. He put the shirt back in the box, closing it and pushing it back into the closet.

 _"I'll give it to Goten when he's older,"_ he decided. He began fishing through the closet again, praying that he had something that might impress Eighteen. Alas…

 _"I guess a long-sleeve shirt and slacks will have to do,"_ he shrugged. He looked at the clock again, "I should probably get going," he muttered.

* * *

A tall cloaked figure walked into the moderately large port town. He was shrouded entirely by cloth, including the strange, tall headdress he wore. A golden ring floated above his head, drawing more attention than his strange attire. He took a look at a small rectangular device. It had a screen with buttons underneath. The screen displayed a grid with flashing dots in different locations. One was near the center of the screen.

Cell pushed his way through the crowds, ignoring the protests of indignation, _"A dragonball is near. This will be the second I've found,"_ he ground his teeth, _"This isn't nearly fast enough! At his rate I'll run out of energy long before I can regain my life!"_

"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Take a good look at this mysterious sea orb!" A loud voice announced, "Isn't she beautiful, observe the mysterious and alluring stars that always face towards you! Who knows what kind of wondrous magic was used to achieve that!"

Cell made his way towards the voice, eventually finding a man standing on a platform. He wore a blue suit with coat-tails, a top hat, and held an ornate cane. He continued espousing the wondrous qualities of the orb, "This beautiful gem was found by a resident pearl diver! This is a one of a kind, people! You'll never find another like it!"

Cell pushed to the front of the gathering, heading towards the stage. The loud man faltered as Cell's large figure ominously strode up the steps,

"Um, excuse me, sir? You can't come up here!"

Cell ignored him, coming to the top of the stairs. He headed straight for the ball.

The man in the suit placed himself between the ball and the mysterious figure, arms spread wide, "Sir, you really can't be up here! Don't make me call the authorities!" he said.

Cell continued. The man backed up as the large, intimidating figure approached. His heart beat faster, "Sir, really! I must ask you to- ," he began, voice laden with fear. Faster than he could see an arm swiped at him, knocking him off the stage and into the crowd.

The people surrounding the stage began to scatter in fear. Police sirens could be heard in the distance. Cell picked up the dragonball, noting seven stars, "That's another down. I'll need to find a way to gather energy if I want to be able to gather all of them," He jumped onto a nearby roof, traveling across them and out of the city; easily evading the police.

* * *

"So, uh, Krillin? What's up with the suit?" Gohan asked. Krillin had been waiting at the mall when he arrived. Neither Eighteen or Mascara were here yet.

"What are you talking about Gohan? This is the pinnacle of _style_ ," Krillin replied, placing emphasis on the last word. He wore a white suit with red tie and a matching hat, "It's important to make a good first impression. With this suit, it's guaranteed."

"Oh. I kinda feel like I've seen you wear that before. I don't remember when, though," Gohan said, looking up in thought. They were sitting on a bench just inside the mall's entrance, waiting for the two girls to show.

Krillin blushed, "Hey, suits are expensive, man. I can't just buy a new one willy-nilly," he muttered.

Gohan looked off into space for a while, lost in thought. Suddenly, he sat up straight, wearing a mask of panic with which his face was well acquainted. He carefully peered at Krillin out of the corner of his eye, _"I forgot to tell Krillin who my 'friend' is! What's he gonna think when Eighteen shows up!"_

He turned his head woodenly, facing his monk friend, _"Maybe I can call Eighteen and ask to meet somewhere else? No, then Krillin will ask where I'm going and why. Maybe if I… No. That won't work either! I'll just have to tell him! There's really no way around it… ,"_ he finally decided.

"Hey, uh, Krillin? About my 'friend'... ," he started.

"Oh! You mean Eighteen?" Krillin added helpfully.

"Yeah, her! Y'see, she's actually… Eighteen… You knew!" Gohan exclaimed. He gaped at Krillin, "How…"

"Gohan, for you: 'friend' plus 'girl' equals Eighteen. There really wasn't anyone else who fit _that_ particular bill."

"B-but… what about Bulma?" he stuttered.

Krillin raised a brow amusedly, "Really, Gohan? Bulma's more like an Aunt for you."

Gohan grimaced, "Don't tell her that. She'll think you're calling her old."

Krillin shook his hands in front of him in fear, "Dear God, no! I would never do that! I value my life!"

Gohan chuckled, nodding in agreement.

* * *

"Now, when we get there, you are _not_ going to badger Gohan with questions, ok?" Eighteen said, eyes facing the road and hands on the steering wheel. She took a quick glance at Mascara, "Gohan can be skittish at times; I don't want you scaring him away."

Mascara gasped dramatically, assuming an countenance of perfect innocence, "Well, I would _never_! You should know I am the _soul_ of courtesy, Eighteen!" she chided. She felt Eighteen's glare, "Oh, alright! I'll behave! I promise."

Eighteen gave a satisfied smirk. Mascara huffed in annoyance. She looked at Eighteen again, "So, tell me again about Krillin," she requested.

Eighteen shrugged, "Not a whole lot to tell. Not bad looking, if you're okay with bald guys. He's willing to stand up for his friends, even when the odds are against him. Also, there was that time… well, let's just say he's a good guy. Not really my type, but whatever."

"Wait, wait, wait. What was that 'one time'? I wasn't aware you had even met him before!"

Eighteen sighed, "It's kind of a long story… ," she evaded.

Mascara's eyes shined, "I _love_ stories! You have to tell me! Pleeeeaaasseeee!" she begged.

Eighteen shook her head, "No time. We're here."

Mascara looked out the windshield, noticing they had -indeed- arrived. She frowned, "You're not slipping out of this that easily! I'm _going_ to hear that story later!"

Eighteen rolled her eyes, "Why don't you get Krillin to tell you the story?"

Mascara face lit up, "Is that a challenge?" she asked eagerly. Eighteen shrugged. Mascara jumped and threw her hands into the air, "Yayy! I love challenges, too! What do I get if I win?"

Eighteen raised a brow curiously, "My eternal admiration?"

Mascara slapped her hands onto her mouth, gasping, "Just what I've always wanted!"

Eighteen snorted in amusement. She looked at the clock in the dashboard, "We should go inside. They may already be here."

Mascara nodded.

* * *

"Oh! They're here," Gohan said, pointing them out of the crowd for Krillin. They both stood, making their way to the girls. Krillin blushed involuntarily at the sight of Eighteen. He shook his head and slapped his cheeks. Krillin looked appraisingly at the girl with Eighteen as they drew closer.

 _"Not bad,"_ he thought.

Gohan raised a hand in greeting, "Hey, Eighteen! Nice to see you!"

Eighteen brushed a lock behind her ear, "Likewise."

Gohan grinned and she returned a faint smile. Eighteen cleared her throat, gesturing to the shorter girl next to her, "This is my friend, Mascara. Mascara, this is Gohan," she introduced, gesturing to the goofy young man, "And this is Krillin," she gestured towards the short man.

Mascara smiled brightly, "Nice to meet you both!" she exclaimed. She looked at Gohan, "Eighteen has told me _so_ much about you! I'm glad she finally has a friend besides me!"

Gohan rubbed the back of his head bashfully, "Yeah! Nice to meet you, too."

She looked at Krillin, "And you must be Gohan's friend. Krillin, right?" she said, smiling amiably.

Krillin flushed, _"Oh man! She's actually really pretty!"_ he thought. He straightened, determined to make a good impression, _"I have to act like a gentleman. Ah man, what did that book I read say to do in situations like this?"_

"Oh, uh, yes. I'm Krillin. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, _"Right! I remember now! When meeting a lady you should kiss her hand!"_ he recalled. He extended a hand and she grasped it. They shook and then let go, _"Crap! I chickened out!"_

* * *

As Krillin fumbled around, Gohan and Eighteen were off to the side discussing the interaction, "Hey, Eighteen? Do you know why Krillin's acting all weird right now?"

"Yep."

"Um… are you going to tell me?"

Eighteen glanced at him in amusement, "Sure, you just had to ask. Basically, Krillin likes Mascara."

"Oh! That's great. I was hoping they'd get along," he said, smiling cheerfully, "Hey, maybe they'll become friends like us," he speculated, nudging Eighteen with his elbow.

 _"Not quite what I meant when I said 'like'."_

* * *

"I like your suit," Mascara said, "Very dashing."

Krillin's face grew redder, "Th-thanks," he stuttered, "And you look, uh, very pretty!"

"Oh, how nice of you to say!" She clasped her hands, lashes fluttering.

Eighteen looked on, nonplussed, _"She's actually behaving. I thought she was joking earlier."_

Mascara latched onto Krillin's arm, much to his delight. She turned to the other two, "We'll see you guys later! We're just gonna go get to know each other better!"

Krillin nodded his agreement, smiling goofily.

Eighteen shrugged. Gohan waved them bye. As Mascara and Krillin left, Eighteen's hand slid into Gohan's. Gohan blushed at the unexpected contact, but didn't pull away.

"Now, let's go find you some nice clothes," Eighteen said.

"Uh, right!" Gohan nodded.

* * *

Unnoticed due to the thick Saturday crowd, a single man watched the four's interaction, "That's Miss Eighteen! And she's here with a guy! This could be my big break!" he muttered quietly. A few people nearby gave him odd looks as he chuckled creepily. He reached into the bag hanging from his shoulder, pulling out an expensive looking camera.

 _"Damn, I didn't bring any of my attachments. I didn't expect to run into this kind of chance here!"_ he cursed, _"But still, even a bad shot will be enough. Eighteen has never been seen in public with a man besides her coworkers. I might make enough money to move out of my parents' house!"_ he exulted.

He crept after them as Eighteen dragged the young man off somewhere. His stealth was awful, but enough people were here that it wouldn't matter.

* * *

Eighteen and Gohan strolled through the mall hand in hand. Eighteen knew where she was going and Gohan was content to follow along. As they walked, a flowery scent wafted by. Eighteen stopped and looked curiously for the source.

"Oh! A perfume store. Hold on, Gohan; I want to stop by here first. I'm nearly out of my favorite perfume."

Gohan shrugged, "Ok."

They approached the store's entrance, but before they arrived Gohan stopped. Eighteen was forced to stop, too. She looked back curiously, brow raised, "What's the matter?"

Gohan grimaced, "I can't go in there," he said.

Eighteen furrowed her brow, "Why?"

"It's the smell. It's just… too strong," he said.

"It doesn't seem so bad to me."

"A Saiyans senses are quite a bit sharper than humans. That store is a mess of different scents. It would be too disorienting to go in there."

"I see… so you don't like perfume," she muttered. Gohan quickly shook his head,

"No, no! There's nothing wrong with perfume. It's just that there's too much in there. I mean, I really like how you smell right now!"

Eighteen chuckled into a hand, "That's a bit of a strange compliment," she said. She smile warmly at him, "But thanks."

Gohan smiled back, "Well… you're welcome, I guess!" he laughed.

Eighteen looked at the store, "Guess I'll get that perfume later," she shrugged.

Gohan frowned, "Sorry. I didn't mean to inconvenience you."

Eighteen shook her head, "No, don't worry about it. It's no big deal," she said, squeezing his hand.

Gohan smiled, "Let's go get those clothes then!"

Eighteen nodded. They walked on, Eighteen still leading Gohan by hand. She turned back to him,

"So how good is your olfactory sense?"

Gohan placed a hand on his chin, "Oh, it's pretty good. Depending on the wind, I can smell someone half a mile away. Inside a building it usually only a dozen meters or so."

Eighteen paled slightly, _"That far!? Does that mean he can smell me when I'm all sweaty from sparring? I always try to keep my distance when I'm like that; was it actually useless?"_

"Hey, Eighteen, why'd you stop?"

Eighteen avoided his eyes, "Nothing," she said, monotone.

"Are you sure? If you're hungry we can go get something to eat. The clothes can wait."

She shook her head, "No, really, I'm fine."

She began walking again pulling him behind her.

* * *

He gulped nervously, fiddling with the collar of his button-up shirt, _"Did they notice me?"_ he wondered. His 'targets' had stopped right outside of a store, _"They must have! Why else would they stop so suddenly!"_ He chewed on his nails as his eyes searched frantically for an escape route, _"I've heard all sorts of bad things happen to people who annoy Miss Eighteen."_

A hand slapped down on his shoulder, causing him to jump, "Uwaaahhhh!" he yelped.

"Hey, Joey, long time no see, right?"

Joey turned around woodenly, tears welling in the corners of his eyes, "Oh, it's you," he said, tears vanishing and tension dissipating. His eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"You think you'd be happy to see an old classmate," the young woman sighed. She had orange hair put up in a bun. She sidled up next to him, "What were you trying to take a picture of? You seemed really focused," she said. She craned her neck, looking in the same direction he had just a minute ago, "Hmm, nothing interesting over there."

Joey pushed up his glasses, "Could you please stop bothering me, Clara? I'm in the middle of work."

Joey brought his camera up to his face, noticeably ignoring her. Gohan and Eighteen weren't there, "Crap! They're gone!" He turned to Clara, "Look what you've done! I've lost them now!" he point at her accusingly.

Clara frowned, "Don't blame me! Besides, taking pictures of someone without permission is creepy _and_ an invasion of privacy! I'd say I did you a favor!"

"Are you kidding me! That shot could've been a down payment on my own place and then some!" He narrowed his eyes calculatingly, "Since you interfered with my work, I demand recompense!"

"Huh! You said that picture would be worth a down payment! I can't afford that!" she retorted.

He smirked, "Hmph, in that case how about you help me find them. That way I'll consider it even."

She gaped at him, then frowned, "Fine! But I still don't agree with what you're doing!"

"Don't worry about that. I couldn't care less."

She huffed indignantly.

* * *

Krillin sipped at his coffee nervously, hat sitting on the table.

"So, Krillin, how do you feel about being set up on a blind date like this," Mascara asked, chin resting on her hands, "I know I was the one who asked Eighteen for help, but I hope she didn't pressure you into this."

Krillin nearly choked on his coffee in his hurry to answer, "Oh, no, no! I was totally Ok with this! Actually, Gohan was the one who asked me to come."

"Oh! Well, I suppose that makes sense. You are _his_ friend, not Eighteen's."

"Uh… yeah, that's true."

"So, I was wondering," Mascara asked, drawing circles on the table with her finger, "I mean, I care a lot about Eighteen, and I want what's best for her. Do you think Gohan will treat her right? Eighteen is really tight-lipped, so I don't know much about him."

Krillin spread his hands, "He will, definitely! ...Once he finally realizes that he's in love with her," he grinned, scratching his cheek.

Mascara leaned forward, "Hmm… how can you be so certain?"

Krillin sighed fondly, "Gohan is… well, he's the best sort of person. A lot like his father in that regard. Trust me, Eighteen will always have his respect. He wouldn't dream of hurting her, and you can be _damn_ sure he won't let anything else."

Mascara tilted her head curiously, "You knew Gohan's father?"

Krillin smiled faintly, "Since we were kids. I first met Gohan when Goku -his father- brought him to one of our gatherings when he was four."

Mascara hummed thoughtfully and sat back, "Ok, I think I've asked enough questions. Now, it's your turn."

"Oh! Well, uh… what do you do for a living?" he asked, smiling awkwardly.

She smiled brightly, "I'm a makeup artist! I make sure that the movie stars always look their best for the camera!"

She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, _"Actually, I prefer doing special effects makeup to make people look like monsters or aliens. It's a lot of work, but it's_ so _cool to see the end result after spending hours on it!"_

Krillin's eyes widened, "Oh, wow! That does sound cool! You wouldn't happen to have a video of that? I'd love to see it!" he grinned.

Mascara hopped up, shaking her hands in delight, "I actually do! Hold on," she grabbed her chair and scooted it over next to him. She rifled through her purse, pulling out a phone, "It's in here somewhere," she said absently, messing with the screen.

Krillin blushed, _"She's so close!"_ he paused to get a handle on his embarrassment, _"She smells like cinnamon,"_ he noted.

"Ah! Here it is! Check it out!" she leaned in, putting the phone in front of them; inadvertently closing the distance even further.

Krillin tensed up, but began to relax as his attention was consumed by the video.

* * *

"Aahhhh, this is so boring!" she whined. She gave a cursory glance at her surroundings, half-heartedly searching for a certain celebrity, "I'm never going to find them in this crowd."

She pulled out her phone and dialed the number Joey had given her. It connected almost immediately, _"Did you find them?"_ Joey's voice came in.

She sighed, "I'm tired of searching!" she whined, "Are you sure they're still here? Maybe they left."

 _"Hmm, that is possible. However, it's far too early to give up. Keep searching for another hour and I'll consider our debt settled."_

She drew in a deep breath and exhaled heavily, "Ahhh, fine! But if I do find them… ," she fiddled with her sleeved, "I want you to buy me dinner," she mumbled.

There was a pause before Joey answered, _"Where? Specifically?"_

Clara pursed her lips, "I want steak…"

 _"I don't have that kind of money,"_ Joey sighed, _"If I could afford steak on a whim, I wouldn't be resorting to such scummy reporting practices."_

"If you know it's nasty, why are you doing it?"

 _"I tried doing things the proper way! Turns out connections are more important than skill or effort! I couldn't get a proper job and now I write gossip pieces as a freelancer,"_ His voice wavered, _"I hate having to do this kind of_ shit _! But this picture could be a chance to get my name in a big magazine. I can't let that pass me by."_

"Joey…"

 _"Anyway. Keep searching. You might run across them soon... and even if you don't… ,"_ he hesitated a moment, _"I'll… buy you dinner anyway…"_

"Really!"

 _"Somewhere cheap."_

* * *

A/N: Dende sure is vindictive, huh? His personality _may_ have been influenced by his portrayal in Dragon Ball Abridged. Maybe.

Two new OC's! I came up with a side-plot that ties in with Cell's return, so these two were born! Joey's the important one, though. Somehow writing these two was really fun.

About my side-project, I've changed my mind about releasing it all at once. The first chapter is nearly done (3000 words so far), and I just can't wait to post it. So, it should be here in a few days. My biggest problem is that I can't think of a good name… I'm sure I'll come up with something!

Edit: I was wrong about the few days thing. The first chapter of 'Out of Order' is up now!


	24. Chapter 24: Disagreements

Chapter 24: Disagreements

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

* * *

They still hadn't reached the clothing store yet. Gohan followed behind Eighteen, lost in thought. His eyes widened, "Ah!" he smacked a hand against his forehead. Eighteen stopped, looking at him curiously,

"What's the matter?"

"You know that promise I made to Grand Kai?" he asked. Eighteen nodded.

"I just remembered that it was a condition for letting my dad and I fight another round after my ring out! _But!_ We never did have that fight, because my transformation wore off! Which means the promise is no longer binding! I can tell whoever I want!" he exclaimed.

Eighteen placed a hand on her hip, "That's nice. Are you going to?"

Gohan frowned, "Well, uh… no," he said. He spread his hands, "The point is that it's _okay_ that I told you!"

Eighteen smiled, "That's good, I suppose," she said.

* * *

Gohan looked around the store in awe. The lights were dim, lending the place a mellow atmosphere. There were a number of mannequins equipped with well-fitted suits or elegant dresses. Soft piano played, filling the otherwise quiet store with sound. Unlike most, this store kept its doors closed to block out the cacophony of shoppers. Display windows allowed them to see the wares.

Eighteen released his hand, and he frowned momentarily. He shook his head and went back to looking around the store.

"I've never been in a store like this before!" he said.

Eighteen chuckled, "I didn't think you had. The owner is a bit pretentious, but this place has the best suits."

Gohan looked at her, brow raised, "Suits? Like what Krillin was wearing? That looked kind of uncomfortable…"

"Don't worry, a good suit looks good _and_ feels great," she assured, "Besides, you only have to wear it for a few hours."

Gohan nodded uncertainly, _"Hold on! Won't a suit be really expensive! I can't pay for that!"_ he bit his lip, _"What am I gonna do? We're already here, it would be embarrassing to admit that I didn't even_ think _to bring more than pocket change."_

He worried at it as an employee approached them, "Miss Eighteen! welcome back!" she greeted cheerfully, "What can I help you with this time?"

Eighteen raised a brow, _"Who is this? I can't quite recall… whatever,"_ she mentally shrugged.

She waved a hand at Gohan, "He needs a suit. Something for a big event."

"We have a number of _suit_ able choices!" the saleswoman said, giggling daintily. She waved a hand, "That's just a bit of company humor!"

Gohan laughed, delightedly, "Oh man, that's a good one! Because you guys sell suits!"

The saleswoman nodded enthusiastically.

Eighteen smiled awkwardly, _"Such a lame joke."_

* * *

 _"Oh my God! Oh my God! Joey, I found them!"_ Clara exclaimed over the phone, _"They're near the South entrance in this really fancy store. I can see them talking to a salesperson through the window."_

"Alright! Good job, Clara! Keep watching them. If they try to leave, see if you can hold them up."

 _"What! No way! That's not what we agreed on! Besides I'm way too afraid of Eighteen to do that. Have you seen her glare before? I'd collapse in a blubbering mess!"_

Joey sighed, "Whatever, just stay there! I'll be there in a minute!"

* * *

The first suit was black with pinstripes, coupled with a white shirt and black tie. Gohan rubbed the fabric curiously, _"Yeah, this is gonna be really expensive"_ he thought.

He looked at Eighteen; she was talking quietly with the saleswoman. The woman nodded agreeably every once in awhile. Gohan sighed, _"What am I going to do?"_ he crossed his arms, head down in thought.

Eighteen approached him, "So, what do you think? Do you like this one?" she asked. Gohan didn't respond, "Gohan?" Nothing. She frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking it, "You in there?" she called.

His head popped up, "Oh, Eighteen! Sorry, didn't see you there."

"Are you okay? You seem preoccupied," she said, frowning.

Gohan waved his hands, "No, no. I mean… well, it's nothing. Nothing to worry about!"

Eighteen shrugged, "If you say so," She looked at the suit, "Do you want to see the next one?"

Gohan nodded. Eighteen turned to talk to the saleswoman, but Gohan grabbed her shoulder. She turned back, a brow raised curiously.

"Um, actually… there is something bothering me…" he said. Eighteen faced him fully, arms crossed.

Gohan opened his mouth, but his eyes suddenly moved to the saleswoman standing nearby. He closed it, scratching his cheek uncertainly, "Uh…"

Eighteen noticed his distraction and looked over her shoulder at the woman, "Could you give us a moment?"

"Of course, ma'am! I'll be in the back; please ring the bell on the desk when you need me!"

Gohan relaxed when she left. Eighteen looked at him expectantly. He spoke,

"I, uh… didn't think much about the fact that we came here to buy nice clothes… I don't have the money to pay for a suit…"

Eighteen sighed in relief, "Is that all? I was planning on buying it for you anyway."

Gohan's eyes widened, "What?! No! I can't ask you to do that. You already bought me a phone. I can't accept any more than that."

Eighteen pushed a lock behind her ear, "Look, Gohan, it's really not a big deal. It's just a couple hundred thousand Zeni. I can afford that easily."

Gohan shut his eyes and shook his head, "No, no, no! I can't just keep accepting your charity."

Eighteen frowned, "It's _not_ charity! I'm just buying a friend a gift, that's all! There's no need to get worked up about it."

Gohan frowned back, eyes narrowing, "I won't let you buy a suit for me. It just… it doesn't feel right. It's like I'm taking advantage of our friendship."

Eighteen pinched the bridge of her nose, "That is just… so ridiculous. I'm the one who offered to buy it for you. How can you interpret that as you taking advantage of me?"

"Please don't call me ridiculous; I'm being serious here. Let's just leave. I'll get a job and earn enough money to pay for it myself, then we can come back."

"Gohan, there are only a few weeks before the premier. Can you even earn enough money in time?"

"I'll figure something out!"

Eighteen sighed, "Look, let's compromise, okay? I'll buy the suit _-let me finish-_ then you can pay me back later. That way you get the suit now, but you still end up paying for it."

Gohan frowned pensively, "I don't know. How can I be sure you'll accept the money?"

Eighteen clicked her tongue.

Gohan's eyes widened. He pointed a finger at her, "I knew it! You weren't going to let me pay you back, after all!" he turned away, getting ready to leave. Eighteen caught his sleeve.

"Wait, Gohan!" she said. He turned back unhappily. She lowered her head, hair shadowing her face, "Can't you just let me do this for you?" she asked softly.

Gohan's eyes widened and he raised a brow, "Why is this so important to you?"

Eighteen pulled him closer, getting a better grip on his arm, "You've done so much for me. I just want to repay a little bit of it. That's all."

"What are you talking about?"

She looked up, "You saved me from Cell, you became my best friend, and you helped me become stronger. I know there's nothing I can do to fully repay all of that, but I want to try."

Gohan slipped his arm out of her hands; Eighteen frowned, but let him. He grabbed her shoulders, looking her in the eye, "Eighteen, you don't owe me anything!" he said. She huffed. He frowned, "I'm serious! You don't!"

He sighed, closing his eyes, "Yeah, I saved you from Cell -and I'd do it again in a heartbeat- but I also saved the people of earth from him and I don't expect anything from them."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, "I've always given you my friendship freely, and I'm happy that you give me yours," he said. Eighteen blushed and gripped his shirt. Gohan continued, "And helping you get stronger… that's just as much for me as it is for you."

Eighteen pulled back and looked him in the eye, "How so?"

Gohan grimaced, "You know that if you're ever in danger I'll help you out. But I won't always be around to help. The stronger you are, the less I have to worry. It's peace of mind, y'know?"

Eighteen smiled wryly and leaned against him, "That's very sweet. I still want to repay you for what you've done, though."

Gohan frowned, "I really don't want you to pay for the suit, though."

Eighteen smirked, backing away and putting her hands on her hips, "Well, what do you know? I don't want you to pay for it, either!"

Gohan opened his mouth to retort but couldn't think of anything. Eighteen smiled wide, "Got you there, huh?"

Gohan smiled wryly, "Fine, I'll let you pay for it. But! I'm still getting a job, and someday I'll buy _you_ something as thanks. Not really sure _what_ , but I can think about that later. Deal?"

Eighteen smiled, "Deal. Spit on it?"

"What!?"

She chuckled, "Just kidding!"

* * *

*click* *click* *click*

Joey's camera took picture after picture. Eighteen and her companion seemed to be arguing about something. He smiled, _"This is exactly the kind of thing I need. Now, if I could just get the guy to turn this way. A picture of his face would be great."_

He felt a tap on his shoulder and sighed, "You know, I said you could leave. I'll buy you dinner tomorrow."

Clara puffed out her lip poutily, "I still haven't given up on convincing you to stop this."

"Really? I thought you were smarter than that…"

Clara gasped, "Why do you always say such mean things?"

"Why are you putting up with me if you think I'm mean?"

Clara blushed and fiddled with her hands, "You used to *mumble mumble*."

"Could you speak like an adult, please?"

Clara growled, "I said you used to be really nice to me!"

"Was I?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, She fiddled with her thumbs, "I wasn't always… _conventionally_ attractive…"

"I have no idea what that means. Use phrases I understand," he commanded.

She pursed her mouth, "Well… I was a bit plu-"

Joey straightened, bringing his camera up to his face, "Yes! He turned this way! Now I just need a good shot…"

Clara looked over and saw Eighteen holding onto the man's arm. She blushed and frowned, _"I wish I had that kind of courage."_

The man wrapped his arms around Eighteen. Clara flushed, covering her mouth to prevent a squeak of surprise. She peeked at Joey out of the corner of her eye, but he didn't notice.

"Nice! This is basically proof that they're not just friends! _The Morning Star_ is going to eat this up," Joey exulted, clicking his camera furiously. He lowered the camera, clicking through the pictures he took. He stopped on one picturing the young man's face, _"Hold on. Isn't this guy a bit too young? He looks like a highschooler."_

He frowned, _"How old is Eighteen? ...I don't think there's actually any information about her,"_ he thought. He put a hand on his chin, _"She started acting about three years ago. At the time, she could have passed for a seventeen-year-old,"_ he flipped through his pictures again, finding a good shot of Eighteen, _"She doesn't look any older now… so maybe her early twenties? Hmm…"_

 _"I need more information,"_ he decided. He looked up as the man and Eighteen headed into the back of the shop, out of sight. He turned to Clara; she was crouched next to him behind the corner of a wall. He tapped her on the shoulder. She didn't respond. He tapped harder.

"I'm not talking to you!" she pouted.

Joey sighed, "What's your problem, now?

"You totally interrupted me a second ago!" she lowered her head and spoke in a small voice, "Do you even know how much courage I had to work up to say that. It wasn't easy."

"Oh. The thing about you being fat. What about that?"

"I wasn't fat! I was a little plump! Just a little! It was hardly noticeable!" she shouted. A number of people around them paused momentarily, looking at her. Clara flushed again.

Joey pushed up his glasses, "Regardless of the magnitude of your heaviness, was there a point to telling me that?"

Clara frowned, "I was trying to say that you never even mentioned it. There were others who didn't mention it, but I always felt like they were looking down on me. You always treated me the same as everyone else… I always appreciated that."

"I treat everyone with equal disdain."

Clara smiled wryly, "I also like that dry sense of humor you have."

He wrinkled his brow, _"Did I make a joke?"_ he wondered. He shrugged, then remembered why he needed Clara's attention in the first place.

He extended an arm, "Grab on to me and don't let go."

"W-w-what! Why w-would I do that? I-I'm not such an e-easy girl, okay?" she sputtered.

"Please. It's important."

Her breath suddenly sped up, "O-oh! Well, in that case…" she carefully wrapped her arms around his, face burning. She looked up at him nervously, "So… why are we doing this?"

Joey's glasses flashed, "We're going in."

"In where?"

Joey began walking towards the store. Clara's eyes widened, "Joey! JOEY! We're going in there?" she asked in a panic, "In there with the scary actress that could pierce steel with a glare?!" she struggled, but his arm clamped down on hers.

* * *

Cell took a deep breath, savoring the cool mountain air, "How refreshing," he said, breathing out mistily. He was in a mountain village, current population: one. He looked down at the man under his foot; struggling weakly as the spiked tail drained him of life-force, "I suppose it'll be zero, soon."

The man gave out one final silent scream and turned to ash, leaving only his clothing behind. Cell knelt and gathered up the garments. He walked over to a pile of clothes in the middle of the central road, tossing them in with the others.

"Can't leave a calling card now, can I?" he asked the air, "I want my return to be a surprise."

He gathered a minuscule amount of ki into his finger, using it to set the pile of clothes on fire. They burned slowly at first, but gradually the blaze picked up. Eventually, it spread to the buildings, going further and further until the whole village was on fire.

Cell smirked, "That ought to throw off any investigation into _mysterious_ disappearances."

Now outside of the village, he pulled out his radar, "Hmm… what luck! There's another ball nearby. I knew it was a good idea to come up here."

He had targeted this village after theorizing that he could still absorb energy from the living despite already being in his perfect form. Of course, he was correct, as is always the case.

He paused for a moment, getting a feel for his energy level. He frowned, "Only a few more days, huh? I suppose I'll have to pay a visit to some other secluded communities."

* * *

"That was pretty awesome!" Krillin exclaimed as the video came to an end. I never realized the kind of effort that goes into some of those! You really are good at it, too!"

Mascara smiled, "Thank you!" she said. She paused a moment, then bumped her shoulder against his, "Hey, there's something I want to ask you about…"

Krillin looked at her curiously, "Sure, go ahead."

Mascara smiled faintly, "Eighteen mentioned that you've met before. Could you tell me a bit about it?"

"Oh, su-," Krillin stopped short, eyes wide and vacant, _"I can't tell her. It would reveal too much,"_ he realized. Mascara noticed his pause, and her curiosity skyrocketed.

 _"Hold on. Maybe she knows about our powers? Eighteen might have told a good friend, right?"_ he glanced at Mascara, noticing her eyes sparkling impatiently, _"Maybe I should test the waters?"_

He turned to face her, suddenly remembering that they were still quite close. He brushed away his embarrassment. His eyes narrowed cautiously, "How much do you know about Eighteen's… abilities?"

Mascara raised a brow, "Quite a bit. It's not like she's hiding it or anything."

 _"What! She doesn't bother to hide her strength. Does that mean everyone around her knows?"_ he thought. He took a deep breath, resolving to ask about that some other time.

"I see. In that case, I suppose I can tell you," he said, "Eighteen and I first met when she woke up. Uh, You know about that, right?"

Mascara nodded, "Her amnesia. It's too bad she can't remember anything about her past. It made it a bit difficult for her to get a job. Luckily, the producer doesn't care about things like identity or criminal records!" she grinned.

"Oh, man! I never even considered the trouble she must have had with that. She always seemed so capable that I didn't consider that she might be in trouble at all!"

"She tells me she got by well enough, so it probably wasn't that bad."

"Right. Anyway, she woke up with her twin brother. Along with her new modifications, Dr. Gero implanted a desire to kill Goku. They, and another android, traveled around searching for him. Luckily, they didn't find him. Then Cell show-,"

"Hold on, stop!" Mascara interrupted. Krillin closed his mouth, surprise evident in his features.

"Uh… what's wrong?"

"Look, I can understand wanting to tell a joke, but that's going a bit too far. Especially when it's about that monster. A lot of people are still terrified of Cell. It's just bad taste," she chastised.

Krillin's face fell with mounting horror, _"She didn't actually know! What have I done?!"_

His panic faded as an idea came to him. He looked down, morose, "I'm really sorry, Mascara. I must have gotten carried away. I hope you can forgive me."

Mascara patted his shoulder, "It's okay. These kinds of things happen when you're nervous. Let's just put it behind us, okay?"

Krillin nodded happily, "Deal!" he exclaimed. He wiped some sweat off his brow, _"Whew! It seems she's not suspicious! It would have been really bad if she believed me!"_ he thought.

* * *

Piccolo took a glance at the radar he had swiped from Capsule Corporation. It showed a flashing light directly in the center. He looked down at the stretch of ocean he floated above, _"Tch! Not really interested in getting wet."_

He frowned, then raised a brow. His frown became a smirk. He tucked the radar into his gi, pointing both hands down. With a grunt, he exerted his ki; forcing the water to part and revealing the ocean floor. He descended, landing on the mud and grime.

He pulled the radar out again, clicking the button to zoom in on the area. The ball lay in a cluster of rocks, covered in mud. He picked it up and rose into the air, allowing the water to fall back into place with a loud clap. He rubbed away some of the mud, noting three stars.

 _"There. That'll prevent anyone from using the dragon balls for anything… untoward,"_ he thought. He frowned, _"Dende is still a bit inexperienced. Perhaps this can be a lesson on the importance of caution."_

He'd hold onto it until he found out who was searching for the balls. If it was for nefarious purposes, he could use it as an example lesson. If it was for something harmless, then that was that.

* * *

Gohan found himself in a changing room, tie wrapped around his wrists, wondering how it had happened. He had managed the pants and the shirt just fine. In his defense, he had never worn a tie before and was quite unprepared for the unexpectedly difficult challenge.

 _"How am I supposed to undo this without breaking it?"_ he wondered. He sighed, _"Guess I'll have to ask for help."_

He managed to open the door with both hands, revealing Eighteen and the saleswoman -whose name he hadn't heard. The saleswoman slapped a hand over her mouth and turned around, stifling her laughter. Eighteen had no such qualms, laughing prettily into a hand. Gohan sighed, looking like a lost puppy.

"How on earth did you manage that?" she said in between chuckles.

Gohan sighed again, "That's the thing! I have no idea!" he said, "I was trying to tie it like Krillin's and suddenly my hands were stuck and now I can't get them out."

Eighteen calmed down somewhat and grabbed his hands, examining the knot, "How could you tight such a tight knot by accident?" she wondered.

Gohan shrugged helplessly.

Eighteen began to pick at the complicated knot. She chuckled, "You know, you're the only one who can make me laugh like this," she said, smiling mysteriously, "This is why I like spending time with you. Besides Mascara, I'm just not comfortable letting my guard down with anyone else."

Gohan beamed, "I'm glad my clumsiness is good for something! Though, it's probably not normal to be so cautious all the time," he noted.

Eighteen stopped messing with the knot and settled her hands on his, "Yeah… it's probably not. I don't really know why I'm like this…"

Gohan looked at her with concern, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Eighteen shook her head, "No. Thanks for the offer, but I've been like this for as long as I remember," she started at the knot again, "Things are fine the way they are. I'm happy."

Gohan smiled warmly, "I see. I'm glad."

Eighteen smiled, still concentrating on the knot.

There was a ringing sound, "Oh dear, that must be another customer! Will the two of you be fine back here for a while?" the saleswoman said.

Eighteen turned to her and nodded.

The woman smiled brightly, "I'll be back with you in just a bit!"

* * *

A/N: Gohan's realization in the first scene is the result of me having the exact same realization.

I'm assuming 100 zeni = 1 dollar. So, a suit is a couple thousand bucks.

Gohan and Eighteen have their first argument! Actually, it wasn't supposed to be resolved this chapter, but it turns out characters that are reasonable and know how to communicate are good at solving disputes.

The next chapter of _Out of Order_ is about halfway done. Expect it sometime this week.


	25. Chapter 25: Instant Trouble

Chapter 25: Instant Trouble

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: This story now has over 75,000 views! Pretty cool.

* * *

Joey pulled the door open grandiosely, sauntering into the store. Clara followed while looking around nervously, arm still being held. They walked up to the vacant desk, and Joey tapped the bell a few times. Mascara jumped at each ring, _"What if Eighteen comes out and she knows we've been following her and she starts yelling at us and gives me that disappointed look that dad sometimes gives me and… and… and."_ she blabbered mentally.

She looked up at Joey, marveling at his unearthly calm, _"How is he not freaking out right now? Does he have no sense of danger?"_ she wondered. She blushed, _"Though… it is kind of cool…"_

A woman came out of the back and introduced herself, before asking, "What kind of outfit are you looking for?"

Joey cleared his throat, "We're looking for a wedding dress. Something with impact, but still tasteful."

Clara nearly passed out from all the blood rushing to her face. She pointedly stomped on his foot, _"You can't just make that kind of stuff up!"_ she yelled internally. Joey didn't show any reaction.

"Oh, congratulations! When is the wedding?"

Joey fiddled with his collar, "Um… we haven't quite decided yet," he looked at Clara, "Right, honey?"

Clara forced a smile, "Actually, we were thinking next week! ...we're eloping!"

Joey coughed in a fit, "Oh, uh… right. I'd nearly forgotten."

"Oh, that is _so_ romantic! Well, if there's anything I can do to help, just say the word! Actually, I think I might be able to get you a discount! Let me just check the system real quick," she skipped behind the desk and began fiddling with the computer.

"What do you think you're doing!" Joey said quietly.

Clara grinned triumphantly, "Giving you a taste of your own medicine! What possessed you to make up that story without checking with me first!?" she retorted.

"I didn't have time. It's not like it matters anyway, we're not buying anything."

"Still! I don't like being caught off guard like that! Why did you need me to come in here with you anyway?" Clara asked.

"I needed a good reason to be in here! Getting married was the first excuse that popped into my head."

"Well maybe if you took a bit more time before dragging me in here, you could have thought of something better!"

"Noted."

Clara sighed dramatically. She looked around, noting that Eighteen and the man she was with were still in the back room, "Now that we're here, what are you planning on doing?"

Joey adjusted his glasses, "Find them and have the guy..." he reached into his camera bag and pulled out a piece of paper, "fill out this survey."

Clara stared at him incredulously, "Why on earth do you have that? How could you have known it would be useful?"

Joey raised a brow, "I always carry a survey with me. It's a great way of obtaining personal information without seeming suspicious."

Clara narrowed her eyes, "That's _really_ shady."

"I'm fairly certain we've gone over this."

Clara sighed.

* * *

Gohan was on his way to the restroom when he noticed two other customers had entered the store. Strangely, their attention focused on him almost immediately, _"What's so interesting about me?"_

The man approached amiably, towing the woman along with his arm. She didn't seem very pleased at the moment; frowning and avoiding Gohan's eyes. The man spoke up.

"Excuse me, sir? Could I have just a moment of your time?" he asked.

Gohan raised a brow curiously, "Uh, sure?" he said, shrugging.

"I'm performing a bit of a survey to… uh…" the man began to sweat. He gave a pained smile, "You know what a survey is right?" he asked. Gohan nodded. The man sighed in relief, "Well if you don't mind, would you fill this out for me?"

Gohan shrugged, "Okay, uh…"

"Oh! Right! My name is Joe Nalest, though most people call me Joey. My companion here is Clara Nette. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

"Um, hello," Clara said weakly. Joey handed over the survey, which Gohan examined curiously.

"I'm Gohan by the way," he said, "Son Gohan."

Gohan took a few minutes to fill the sheet out, despite any misgivings he might have had about the nature of the questions. Such as questions regarding relationship status, religious beliefs, and criminal records. He filled them out faithfully because it was just a harmless survey -though he didn't really know how to answer many of them- and handed the sheet back.

As soon as the survey was securely in hand, Joey and Clara high-tailed it out of there. The saleswoman called after them about a discount of some kind, but Gohan didn't really pay attention. He shrugged and headed off to the restroom.

* * *

Joey leaned against a wall, not far from the store he and Clara had just left. Actually, it was the place they had been before, a good vantage to watch the store. Clara had her hands on her knees, catching her breath from the sudden and hasty departure. Joey took a look at the completed survey.

 _"So he's only fifteen? That's… this could be a scandal! Though he put 'single' for relationship status… He might have been lying, though,"_ he thought. He couldn't decide whether to be happy about it or not.

On the one hand, this kind of scandal could easily quadruple his profits. There wasn't any conclusive evidence they were actually in a relationship, but plenty of tabloids would eat the story up.

On the other hand, his actions might ruin a woman's career and a kid's life. Joey knew he wasn't a nice person, but did he really want this on his conscience? He looked over at Clara once more. He frowned and crumpled the paper, throwing it in a waste basket. Clara looked up at him curiously but didn't comment.

Clara, breath finally caught, stood and faced him, "Joey?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you use our real names?"

* * *

Gohan, Eighteen, Krillin, and Mascara met up near the North entrance of the mall. They said their goodbyes and left; Eighteen with Mascara and Gohan with Krillin. Gohan and Krillin walked around, looking for a good place to take off unseen.

"So, Krillin, how'd it go?" Gohan asked.

Krillin grinned, adjusting his hat, "Pretty well, I'd say," he said. He paused, then frowned, "Well, except for one part…"

Gohan quirked a brow, "What happened?"

Krillin sighed, "Well, she asked how I first met Eighteen. I wasn't sure how much I could tell her, so I asked if she knew about our abilities, right?"

Gohan nodded.

"Anyway, she said that Eighteen didn't even bother to hide it -which was surprising- but I figured that it did kinda sound like something Eighteen would do, y'know?"

Gohan tilted his head curiously, "Wait, what? How does that sound like something she would do?"

Krillin smirked, "Don't you think she might just reveal her powers because it's too much of a bother to keep them hidden?"

Gohan's eyes widened, "Oh, haha! That does actually seem likely. She doesn't seem to care what most people think of her. Though, she assured me she _hadn't_ told anyone because it would be too much of a bother to _reveal_ them."

Krillin frowned, _"Wish I'd known that beforehand,"_ he thought. He cleared his throat, "Well, anyway, it seems Mascara thought I was talking about some _other_ abilities because I tried to tell her about Eighteen being an Android and all that and she got upset at me!"

"What did she think you were talking about?"

"I have _no_ idea, kid."

They finally happened upon an alley with a hidden recess they could use. With a quick glance around, they both took to the air.

"So how was your date with Eighteen?" Krillin asked, grinning mischievously as they rose into the air.

Gohan smiled wryly, "Uh… besides the argument, it went well," he said, "Actually, the argument wasn't all that bad either since we were able to come to a compromise."

Krillin laughed, "That's good. I was kind of worried that she'd just walk all over you."

Gohan raised a brow, "What? That wouldn't happen."

Krillin smirked, "Sorry to say, but you're a bit of a pushover, Gohan."

Gohan was appalled, "No, I'm not! What on earth gave you that idea?"

Krillin shook his head exasperatedly, "Yeah, you are. At least when it comes to women. Have you ever _not_ done something Chichi or Bulma told you to?"

"Of course I have! Mom wanted me to stop training after the Cell games, but I trained anyway… I even ended up lying about it."

Krillin stopped dead in the air, "You actually disobeyed Chichi?" he asked. Gohan nodded. Krillin grinned and clapped him on the arm, "Way to go, kid! Never thought you had it in you!"

Gohan frowned, "Not actually something I'm proud of. I kinda wish I had been straight-forward with her. I don't really like having to lie."

"That's just something you'll have to get used to. Sometimes it's better to tell a lie than the truth. Like when Yamcha insists he's a ladies' man. He's not, but it's nicer to just nod along with him."

Gohan nodded. He frowned, "Also, Namek."

Krillin looked at him, confused at the non-sequitur.

"Mom didn't want me to go to Namek and we had an argument about it. You were there, Krillin, how could you forget about that?"

Krillin scratched his cheek sheepishly, "Oh, yeah! I remember now. I don't know how I forgot about that!"

Gohan shrugged noncommittally.

They flew on in silence for a while before splitting up; Krillin going to Kame house and Gohan to Mt. Paozu.

* * *

Joey and Clara sat across from each other in an alley. Both sides were lined with brick buildings. On one side, the buildings came together in such a way that a recess was created, hidden from anyone trying to look in from the street. The dynamic duo seemed rather exhausted, or perhaps they were in shock.

Joey held a camera, absently flicking through all the pictures he had taken today. Some of these might earn him a lot of money. Others would have him ridiculed for being a conspiracy theorist, or for trying to foist a shopped picture on the general public. Honestly, who would believe that humans could fly?

He looked at a picture he had taken. Far above the building he sat against, two figures floated in the air. The next picture showed them higher. Honestly, it was sheer coincidence he had looked up at the right time, else he would never have noticed that they weren't in the alley any longer.

It wasn't a trick, that much he was certain of. There was nothing for wires to latch onto at that height. One of the buildings had a caged ladder to the roof. He had climbed up just to see if there was anything that might facilitate the illusion of flight. Nothing.

Clara stood and crossed to his side of the alley, dropping down next to him, "So… that was fake, right?"

Joey offered his camera, pointing at the relevant picture. Clara took it and examined it closely. She shut her eyes and shook her head, "How… how can they be flying? There aren't any wings or jetpacks or _anything_ that might make this more… believable!"

Joey leaned back against the wall, looking off into the distance, "You watched the Cell games, right?"

Clara nodded.

"Don't you remember all those people that showed up? They could fly and throw light beams from their hands and make things explode with a thought or something… Mr. Satan said they were frauds, but what if they weren't? What if people really _can_ do that?"

Clara stared at him, jaw hanging. She shook herself, regaining her composure, "I'm sure there's a better explanation for this. I mean, you see flying people and your first conclusion is that people can actually fly? Maybe it… maybe it was Capsule corporation," she guessed. Suddenly her eyes lit up, "That's it! It was Capsule corporation! They must have some new personal flight device that's so small it can't be seen from a distance! See, there are better explanations than flying _people_."

Joey nodded hesitantly, caught up in her enthusiasm but not quite convinced, _"Now that I think of it, didn't there used to be rumors of people that could throw light in the older tournaments? Maybe I could do some research…"_

His lips slowly twitched into a smile. Yes, he would research. This was _interesting_ , not like those celebrity gossip stories he had been forced to do in the past. This could be a story _worth_ reporting on. And if people really could fly? He would be the one to tell the world.

* * *

"Hey, Eighteen, we're friends, right?" Mascara asked, fidgeting with her hands.

Eighteen gave her a quick glance before returning her eyes to the road, "Yeah, of course we are."

Mascara smiled, "Definitely! So, I mean, would you keep a big secret from me?"

Eighteen hummed uncertainly, "That depends. What kind of secret?"

Mascara laughed nervously, "Aha, y'know what, it doesn't really matter. I mean it's not even possible, is it? Androids don't really exist."

One of Eighteen's fingers twitched against the steering wheel. Her features tightened uneasily, "What was that last part?" she asked. She looked at Mascara as they came to a stop light.

Mascara scoffed and waved a hand lazily, "Oh, it's just this weird joke Krillin told about how you were actually an Android or something. It's just the way he told it; as if he actually believed it. For a second I thought he might be telling the truth, but that's ridiculous, right?"

Eighteen frowned, "Right."

* * *

Chichi began placing food laden dishes on the table, much to the pleasure of the two young half-saiyans sitting at said table. She sat down and Goten began eating enthusiastically. Gohan, however, seemed distracted. He ate rather slowly -almost like a normal person- and occasionally he would pause with food halfway to his mouth.

Chichi grew more and more concerned as the meal went on. He didn't want seconds, and he didn't eat his dessert! She placed a hand over her mouth, _"My baby is sick!"_ she thought, tearful at the thought of her little boy suffering. She stood and walked over to his seat, leaning down and placing her forehead on his.

"Wha- Mom? What are you doing?" Gohan asked.

Chichi pulled back and placed a hand on his cheek, "Are you feeling okay? Does your tummy hurt? Maybe you should go lie down?" she asked. She grabbed his arm and made him stand up, "Come on, off to bed!"

Gohan was thoroughly confused, "Why do I have to go to bed? I feel fine!"

Chichi shook her head exasperatedly, "You've barely eaten a bite of dinner! You expect me to believe that you just didn't feel hungry?"

Gohan sighed frustratedly, "I'm not sick, I just… have a problem."

Chichi's face brightened, "Oh, is that all? Well, go ahead," she encouraged, "I'll be happy to help!"

Gohan was silent a moment, before eventually shrugging, "Alright. I need a job."

Chichi fell to her knees, face cradled in her hands. Gohan kneeled next to her looking very concerned, "Mom, are you okay?" he asked. Her shoulders shook. His eyes widened, "Are- are you crying?"

Chichi lifted her head, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. She blew her nose, "I'm just _so_ happy!" she cried, "I never thought I'd hear you say that!"

"Say what?" Goten asked, having finally finished his dessert as well as Gohan's dessert.

Gohan took a breath and looked at his little brother, "That I would get a job," he repeated. Chichi burst into a new bout of crying after hearing him say it again.

Goten tilted his head, "What's a 'job'?"

Gohan chuckled, "A job is something you do for money. Usually, it means working for a company and spending about eight hours every day doing what they tell you to."

Goten's jaw dropped, "Eight hours! Every day?! That's like the entire day! When do you get to play?"

Gohan smiled, "It's only a third of the day. There's still plenty of time to play after work."

Goten frowned, "If you say so."

Chichi finally stood, tears gone but eyes still a bit red. She took a deep breath and let it out, "What kind of job were you looking for, then?"

Gohan scratched a cheek, "Well, that's the thing, I don't even know _how_ to get a job…"

Chichi closed her eyes, finger on her lips, deep in thought. She gave a drawn out hum before opening her eyes excitedly, "You can ask Daddy!"

"Grandpa?"

"Yes. He has a whole kingdom to run! I'm sure he could use some help!" she exclaimed.

Gohan gave a cheerful smile, "That's a great idea! Plus, I can spend some more time with grandpa!"

Chichi gave him a strong hug, "Oh, I'm so proud of you! I knew you wouldn't end up a deadbeat delinquent like your father and his friends!"

Gohan's smile became a bit strained, _"They're my friends, too."_

* * *

Gohan stood across from Goten in the clearing around their house. In the background, there was a dome-shaped building connected to two regular buildings. Nearby was the smaller hut that Goku used to live in with Gohan Senior. It was a rather sunny morning, and Goten seemed very excited about something.

"Alright, Goten, just stay right there and don't move!" Gohan commanded. Goten nodded enthusiastically and stopped bouncing. Well, tried to stop bouncing. Gohan couldn't stop an amused smile from making its way onto his face.

He shrugged, _"Good enough, I guess."_

He placed two fingers on his forehead. His eyes closed and he cast his senses out, searching for Goten's ki. Of course, it was easy, because he was just a few meters away. Gohan figured it was best to work on smaller distances at first.

 _"Alright, I've got a lock on his ki. Dad said the next step is 'wanting to be where my target is',"_ he recalled. He lowered his head, dejected, _"That makes no sense. He must have forgotten a lot of stuff."_

He sighed heavily, _"Might as well give it a shot."_

He focused all his desire on being right next to Goten. He willed himself there, almost as if he could rewrite reality if he just _wanted_ it hard enough. Nothing happened.

 _"Of course it didn't work! It doesn't make any sense!"_ he thought bitterly. He sat down tiredly, _"I've got to think of this more logically. The Instant Transmission technique allows you to move instantaneously. There's no way this technique can ignore the laws of reality, so it must work_ with _them."_

It stood to reason that only Gods could mess with the rules of reality. This technique was created by a very mortal alien race, not a deity.

 _"Either it creates a wormhole connected to the destination that allows you to travel directly there rather than through normal space, or it allows you to move at such a speed that arrival appears instantaneous,"_ he mused. He placed his chin on clasped hands, _"Perhaps the technique turns the body into light temporarily and takes advantage of the relative nature of time at that speed?"_

"Gohan!" Goten called.

Gohan looked up curiously.

"Can I move now? I'm bored."

Gohan smiled indulgently, "Sure thing, buddy. Why don't you go play? I'll come find you later."

Goten grinned, "Okay!" and ran off.

Gohan chuckled as he watched him disappear into the woods that surrounded their home. Goten would be fine on his own. If anything it was everything else that was in trouble.

He took a deep breath, letting it out. His brow furrowed, _"Actually, now I need a new target. Hmm… how about grandpa? I need to talk to him soon anyway,"_ he thought. He nodded, satisfied with his new target. Though, grandpa might be surprised if he actually managed to pop in.

Gohan closed his eyes and focused once more. He located his grandfather's ki signature, probably in his castle. It had been rebuilt on the remnants of _Fire Mountain_ after Master Roshi destroyed it trying to put out the fire. Placing all his concentration on the ki signature, he slowly let ki suffuse his body. With only slight trepidation, he let himself break down into a mass of ki and light. Wait, light doesn't have mass… maybe he should have thought about this a bit more before jumping right in? Too late.

He felt himself reassemble somewhere else almost immediately. Within seconds he was whole again, _"Oh thank God! That was really stupid!"_ he thought. He felt rather strange; as if he were about to burst open, but that might be attributed as a side-effect of doing something extremely stupid. The not being able to breathe was probably just another side-effect.

He opened his eyes hesitantly. He saw black with white dots. Then he noticed that he was very hot. A kind of heat that reminded him of the temperature fluctuations in the time chamber, where the air would sometimes catch fire. A glance to the left showed him a blue orb with swirly white patterns. His stomach dropped, _"This is bad!"_ he yelled internally, slapping a hand over his mouth and nose to prevent any more air loss, _"I'm in space!"_

Thinking quickly, he transformed into a Super Saiyan and shot down towards the earth as fast as he could. He didn't try using _Instant Transmission_ again because it might just put him even further into space. As he flew he couldn't help but realize that space is really big. He felt like he was barely making any progress.

Slowly his vision began to fill with spots. His lungs were on fire, aching for fresh air. His vision blurred randomly, causing him to feel disoriented. He could hold his breath underwater for five minutes, but it was different in space. The difference in pressure that kept air in your lungs while in the water, instead caused air to escape in the vacuum of space.

He hit the atmosphere, but at this point his consciousness was going in and out. The air ignited from the friction of his passing, becoming a flaming meteor that pierced through the sky. Many people would look up in wonder as a 'shooting star' appeared in the middle of the day.

Unable to stop himself, he plowed into the beach of some island, carving out a deep furrow. Water rushed in from the ocean to fill it.

* * *

A/N: A lot of pseudoscience in this chapter; take everything with a grain of salt. This chapter is a bit late, but I've also got my motivation back, so that's good. I managed 500 words yesterday and over 1000 today. I guess desperation = motivation. I'll try to have the next chapter out on Saturday.

Edit: I spent a lot of time thinking about this Faster than light stuff, and I've decided to remove Gohan's 'Nothing moves faster than light' line. I didn't consider the speed spaceships would need in order to even reach another star. There will be another notice at the beginning of the next chapter for anyone that doesn't see this.

P.S. If you ever find yourself in the vacuum of space, don't hold your breath. The difference in atmospheric pressure will cause the air in your lungs to expand. If you try to hold it in, your lungs will rupture.


	26. Chapter 26: Lightspeed

Chapter 26: Lightspeed

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: I actually finished early this week!

I've done some research on Faster Than Light movement in DBZ. Turns out spaceships can move FTL, so I have removed Gohan's mention of 'Nothing moving faster than light' in the last chapter.

Also, I've changed any mention of Trunks' hair being 'gray' to 'lavender'. I've been meaning to change it for a while, but I kept forgetting. I'm fairly certain it was only mentioned twice, but if you notice any times I missed, please inform me.

* * *

Gohan's eyes fluttered open, taking in the blurry sky. No, the sky wasn't blurry, his vision was. Two spherical 'somethings' intruded upon his view of the sky. He raised a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes, then blinked a few times. His vision slowly came into focus.

 _"Oh! It's Krillin and Dende. What are they doing here?"_ he wondered. They were hovering over him, only their heads visible. He turned his head, noting the white tiles and the gold-roofed building of the Lookout, _"How did I get here?"_

Somebody shook his shoulder, saying something he couldn't really make out. He looked at the perpetrator, realizing it was Krillin. He shook his head to get rid of the fog blanketing his mind. He pushed himself up.

"What happened?" he asked Krillin.

Krillin raised a brow, "I'm the one who should be asking _you_ that! All of a sudden I see a meteor in the middle of the day. Then I realized it had a ki signature and kinda freaked out," he admitted sheepishly, "I thought we were under attack or something."

Dende snickered.

"Hey! It's not funny! I genuinely feared for my life! The last time something with a ki that was larger than mine fell from the sky, I nearly died!"

Dende covered his face with a hand, waving the other apologetically, "I'm sorry, it's just; I can picture the face you made. I'm really sorry," he said, trying to quiet his laughter.

Krillin sighed, then addressed Gohan, "So what exactly happened? How did you end up falling from the sky?"

Gohan tilted his head in thought. He snapped his fingers, "I remember now! I was trying to learn _instant transmission_ and I ended up in space. I suppose I was _relatively_ close to earth, but it was still quite a distance."

"You can do that teleportation thing now?!" Krillin shouted.

Dende snorted, "Obviously not, unless he _meant_ to end up in an inhospitable vacuum."

Gohan chuckled, somewhat embarrassed, "Well, I got the moving part down, just not the destination. I was trying to appear near Grandpa Ox, but something must've gone wrong."

"Damn, that's scary!" Krillin exclaimed, _"If that'd happened to me, I'd probably be dead!"_ he thought. He sighed, "It's a good thing I was nearby. The water was starting to fill up that crater you made. Any later and you might have drowned."

Gohan's eyes widened, "You saved me?" he asked. Krillin nodded. Gohan grinned and pulled him in for a sudden hug, "You're the best, Krillin!"

Krillin grinned bashfully, "I try!"

Dende cleared his throat, "I'd like to point out that I healed you of the injuries from your crash."

Gohan grinned and gave Dende a big hug, "You're the best, too!"

Dende coughed, "Stating the obvious."

Gohan released him and walked towards the edge, looking out over the landscape. Mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, lakes, and the ocean. He breathed in deeply, "Good ol' Earth! You wouldn't believe how much I missed you!" he shouted, laughing delightedly.

He turned suddenly, "Krillin, Dende! I just went to space without a ship or a spacesuit! And I'm still alive! Isn't that incredible!?"

Krillin and Dende looked at each other in confusion, then at him. They nodded hesitantly. That seemed to make Gohan happy and he returned to his study of Mother Earth.

Krillin leaned over, "Hey, Dende? Is he alright?"

Dende shrugged, "I think he's high on life."

* * *

Gohan faced Krillin and Dende, standing on the desert floor of _The Room of Life and Desolation_. Or, as most called it, the training room. Dende had suggested he try the technique here, in a separate dimension that lacked an airless vacuum. Gohan had expressed concern about teleporting too far away and not being able to find the exit. Dende had laughed at his concerns, and they found themselves here.

"Alright, Gohan! Let's see it!" Krillin said excitedly. He cleared his throat, "And after you figure out how to do it properly," he paused before clasping his hands in front of him, "Can you teach me? Please?" he entreated.

Gohan laughed and nodded. Krillin took some distance then waited, breath held in anticipation.

Dende watched curiously as Gohan placed two fingers on his forehead. Suddenly, light shrouded him and he disappeared. Dende quirked a brow, _"Is that what it was supposed to look like?"_ he wondered. He glanced over at Krillin, "I think you can stop holding your breath, now!"

Krillin exhaled disappointedly.

Gohan found himself somewhere dark. Even darker than the last time he had tried this technique, _"I can't be in space again, can I?"_ he thought. He shook his head; Dende had assured him that wasn't possible. He held out a hand, palm up, a sphere of light forming above it, "Oh!" he said, voice echoing, "It's a cave!"

He frowned, brow furrowed, _"How did I get in here?"_

He searched around, finding no obvious entrance to the cave, _"Now that doesn't make sense. Light can't just phase through solid objects, right?"_

He let the ki in his hand fade, prepared to just blast his way out. Strangely, he could see another faint light now. It was slightly above him. He approached, feeling his way through the dark, _"A crack that leads outside? It has to; where else would the light come from?"_

He lit up another ki orb and took a seat on a raised section of the floor, _"So, since the technique turns me into light, I can squeeze through openings that I wouldn't be able to pass through normally?"_ he mused. He snapped his fingers, "That's how dad pops into closed spaces! He can enter as light through a window, even if it's closed! I always wondered about that!" he shouted, echoing noisily off the walls.

His discovery kept him happy for a few moments. Then he frowned, _"I'm not anywhere near Krillin, am I?"_

* * *

Cell, having found three dragonballs, was moving happily on to the fourth. Well, not happily. More like impatiently. He wanted to come back to life immediately so he could stop skulking around like this. It did a number on his pride, _"Perfect beings should not have to skulk!"_ he thought.

His travels took him into one of the many wastelands that probably resulted from fights the Z-fighters had. Enormous boulders and pillars of rock littered the landscape. Cell jumped and ducked and dodged between them with little problem. However, as he traveled he felt something familiar.

He stopped immediately and hid in the shadowy overhang of a boulder. His eyes narrowed, teeth gritting, _"Perfect beings should not have to cower!"_

He peeked around the corner, searching for whatever had caused that feeling. Unfortunately, he had little success. There was nothing in sight. He pulled out his radar, first checking that the three balls he had found were still where he had stashed them. Then he checked the distance to the closest ball. He found that it was not far straight ahead. Cautiously, he moved forward; much slower than before. He weaved between the rocks, keeping low and alert.

The feeling became stronger. He once again hid, hoping it would simply go away. From this new spot, he finally saw what it was. It was far away, just a green spec on the horizon, but it was there, _"That's… Piccolo!"_ he realized. Piccolo was perched atop one of the taller rock spires in the distance. He checked the radar again, _"Of course! He's sitting right on top of it! Damn him! I can't afford to waste any energy fighting him,"_ he thought, chewing on a nail. After a second he stopped and berated himself for doing something so unsightly.

He took deep breaths to calm himself, _"I can't take it by force, so I must think of another method. In the meantime, I'll collect the rest of the dragonballs,"_ he thought. Course decided he headed off in the direction of another ball.

* * *

Gohan placed two fingers on his forehead, locating Krillin's ki. After a couple seconds he found it and locked on, _"Huh, he's pretty far away. Must be a dozen miles or so."_

He took a breath nervously before activating the technique once more. This time he found himself tremendously high in the air. He shook his head, _"Nope. Not even close."_

He tried once more, nearly falling into a volcano, _"How can a floating island even have volcanoes, anyway?"_ he griped, breathing heavily. He wiped some sweat from his brow before placing his fingers on his forehead once more, _"Oh man, they're really far away!"_ he thought, _"Maybe I should just fly back? I kinda doubt I'll get it down today. Plus, this is actually pretty draining."_

He took off, following Krillin's ki signature.

* * *

Eighteen bit her lip pensively. She sat in a swivel chair in a changing room for a news program, waiting for her interview to begin. In front of her was a wide table attached to the wall with a large mirror above it. Atop the mirror were six bright lights, evenly spaced, that provided sufficient light for applying makeup. An array of makeup products sat on the table, as well as a circular mirror that made things appear closer than they were.

She wasn't really concerned with the interview; one is very much like the next and she'd had quite a few. What was important is what Mascara said yesterday. Had Krillin really let on that she was an Android? ...he must have, considering there's no other way for Mascara to have known.

She sighed and leaned forward on the table staring absently into the mirror, which displayed the back of the room; filled with racks of myriad outfits. She lay her head on her crossed arms, "What am I going to do about Mascara?" she asked quietly.

Honestly, she should have just told her awhile ago. It would have made things so much simpler. Unfortunately, back when they first became friends Eighteen hadn't been sure she could trust Mascara to keep her secret. Those concerns had eventually been allayed, but she had grown so used to keeping the secret that she simply continued to do so. It was easier that way.

There was a knock on the door, "You have five minutes! Please make your way to the set!" a man's voice came through. Eighteen sighed and stood,

"I do know one thing, though," she said, smiling faintly, "I'll be having words with Krillin."

* * *

Gohan finally arrived just below the floating platform where Krillin and Dende waited for him. They both waved as he descended, "Hey, Gohan! What took ya?" Krillin asked cheerily.

Gohan scratched his cheek in embarrassment as he approached the pair, "I tried the technique a few more times… and kinda ended up even further away," he admitted.

Krillin chuckled lightly, "Yeah, I figured it was something like that."

Krillin looked over at Dende questioningly. Dende nodded. Krillin looked back at Gohan. He grimaced slightly, "Hey, Gohan?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think that technique is actually _Instant Transmission_ ," he said.

Gohan raised a brow, "Are you sure? How can you tell?"

Krillin explained the differences between Gohan's technique and _Instant Transmission_. Instead of blurring and disappearing with a sharp whirring noise, the new technique caused him to disappear in a flash of light that was totally silent.

Gohan's face changed from shock to disbelief and finally understanding. He smiled wryly, "Honestly, I should have expected that to happen. Dad's explanation was really vague. I don't think he actually understands the mechanics of it anymore; it's just a reflex for him."

He frowned, "Actually, maybe he never did? The Yardrats might just be extremely proficient teachers."

Krillin lowered his head in dejection, "I guess that means I'll never get to learn it."

Gohan grinned cheerily, "Don't look so down, Krillin! Once I figure out this new technique I stumbled upon, I'll be happy to teach you!"

"Me, too!" Dende spoke up, hand raised. Gohan nodded with a grin.

* * *

Later that day, Gohan dropped in on the Castle of the Ox-King; landing in the well-maintained garden. The base of Fire Mountain was still intact, so it remained above the village. Although, it might be more accurate to call it a good-sized town, now.

The garden was spacious, with white brick paths and bushes shaped into various people important to the kingdom. A number of them looked suspiciously like Gohan and his family. Of course, there were plenty that featured the Ox-King himself. The steps leading into the castle curved around a large bronze statue of a baying Ox. There were two long fountains following either side of the main path.

 _"Looks like Grandpa's kingdom is doing well,"_ Gohan thought. He looked up at the castle itself, hand shielding his eyes from the sunlight. He was searching for a certain window. He didn't want to use the actual entrance because many government officials worked there and insisted on calling him 'Prince Gohan'. It was rather embarrassing.

He poured over the white painted exterior of the main building, trying to remember where his Grandfather's office was. Three towers rose from the castle, a fourth separate with a covered path leading to it.

"There it is!" he exclaimed, smiling brightly. He took to the air, heading towards a large open window on the third floor. Landing on the ledge, he hopped through, much to the surprise of the current inhabitant.

Ox jumped out of his seat with a shout, arms flailing. Gohan chuckled at him. Ox froze, then adjusted his glasses, "Oh! It's Gohan! What a surprise!" he bellowed with a wide grin. He wore a white button-up shirt with brown pants held up by suspenders. A hat with two curved horns decorated his head.

He moved out from behind his desk towards Gohan, arms spread wide before hugging his grandson. Gohan attempted to hug back but it was hard when he couldn't even wrap his arms around the large man, "It's nice to see you, grandpa!" he greeted.

Gohan approached his desk, sitting in the red cushioned chair across from it. The Ox-king sat as well. Ox cleared his throat, "So, what brings you here, Gohan?"

Gohan scratched his cheek, "I... need to get a job; mom suggested I ask you about it."

Ox leaned back, scratching his beard in thought. His face lit up, "I know!" he exclaimed. Gohan looked at him expectantly. Ox leaned forward, putting both arms on his desk and causing it to creak dangerously, "One of our farmers retired a few months ago. He produced about thirty percent of our annual crop and I've been having trouble finding someone to take over the farm! How would you like to do it? I'm sure with your abilities it'll be easy!"

Gohan crossed his arms, eyes closed. He had some knowledge of agriculture from his studies, but he hadn't thought about how he could adapt farming practices to better make use of his abilities. After a few minutes -in which Ox had begun shuffling through papers while waiting for Gohan's answer- he raised his head, "Alright, Grandpa, I'll do it!"

Ox grinned, "Attaboy! Hold on just a second and I'll get you an overview of the operation," he opened a drawer and flipped through a number of folders until finding the right one. He pulled it out and handed it to Gohan, "If you have any questions just find Pepper, my agricultural advisor. He should be able to help you."

Gohan smiled, "Alright, Grandpa! I guess I'll see you later then?"

"Of course, of course! Drop by anytime! Hey, maybe next time you can bring Goten?"

"Sure thing, Grandpa!" Gohan agreed.

* * *

Gohan -a thick folder and a few books under his arm from the agricultural advisor that _insisted_ on calling him 'Prince Gohan'- observed his new farm, a large expanse of open land surrounded on all sides by dense trees. Probably planted to keep heavy winds from blowing away the loose soil. There was a nice two-story house to one side of the plot with a shed filled with tools and a tractor hitched to a plow next to it. Of course, Gohan wouldn't be using those things. He planned to farm Turtle style! Because that was the only type he had actual experience with.

Entering the house, he found it was rather lacking in furniture excepting the counter in the kitchen that was probably bolted to the wall. Setting his burden down, he walked back outside.

He smiled wryly and rubbed his chin, looking at his plot of land, "This'll be… interesting."

Later, when he returned home, Chichi spotted him covered in dirt the minute he walked through the door and immediately wrangled him into the bathroom; instructing him to wash thoroughly. Goten, watching in amusement, had remarked that work must be fun if it involved so much dirt.

* * *

A few days later -having decided to tell Mascara- Eighteen finally had a break from promotions and interviews about the new movie, giving her a chance to talk to her friend. They met up at a clothing outlet; because why not take the chance to get a few new outfits? It didn't take very long for Eighteen to work up the nerve before she took Mascara to the side, telling her they needed to talk about something.

"What's up, Eighteen?" Mascara asked curiously.

"You remember the other day? When you asked if there was a secret I was keeping from you?"

Mascara nodded uncertainly.

Eighteen took a breath, "Well, there is, and I'm going to tell you now."

Mascara's eyes widened before she took Eighteen's hand, clasping it between hers. She nodded.

Eighteen, giving their clasped hands a glance then rolling her eyes slightly, went ahead, "I'm an android," she admitted. She searched Mascara's face for any sign of disbelief or fear but found it unreadable. Deciding to trudge on, "My amnesia is caused by the modifications made to me by a man named Dr. Gero. My brother is an android, too."

Mascara's mouth opened and closed a few times. She closed her eyes and frowned, shaking her head. Calming down and giving a small smile, "I almost don't believe you, but I can't imagine you ever lying to me like this," she was quiet for a moment, "Can you show me proof?"

Eighteen pulled her into one of the stalls in the dressing room, shutting and locking the door. Raising her hand, palm up, a faint orb of light appeared above it. Mascara slapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide in astonishment.

She looked at it from a few different angles, making sure it wasn't just a trick her eyes were playing on her. Once she was satisfied, she gave Eighteen a wide-eyed look, "C- can I touch it?"

Eighteen shrugged, making the orb fainter, more translucent, "Alright, it should be fine now."

Mascara tapped it hesitantly, noticing it felt warm and solid, "Woah," she breathed. She wrapped both hands around it, trying to crush it, but found it was too strong, "What is this?"

"The result of my modifications. I can produce and control immense amounts of energy. This is just a minuscule amount focused into a sphere."

Mascara was suitably impressed and Eighteen began to explain about her past, the Cell games, Gohan and the rest of the Z-fighters and how they related to her. She went back and forth on whether to tell Mascara about Cell absorbing her and her brother, but the calm and understanding way Mascara had taken everything else convinced her to tell.

Mascara teared up and jumped at Eighteen, wrapping her arms around her neck, "Oh, you poor thing! That must have been so awful! I can't even imagine it!" she cried. Eighteen gave a rare warm smile, slowly wrapping her arms around the other girl, having never received this kind of sympathy. Gohan might give the same sympathy, but he didn't like to think of the Cell games -or anything that happened during them- so she didn't bring it up.

After the waterworks were over they left the store -with a few bags of clothes, of course- and Mascara bugged Eighteen until she agreed to demonstrate more of her abilities. They spent the rest of the day in a remote location; Mascara watching in awe as Eighteen blew stuff up.

* * *

Cell came to a stop after cresting a craggy mountain, looking down at a compound in the valley below. This entire region was barren and dusty, the compound being no exception. He pulled out his radar, clicking one of the buttons to change the tracking mode. The blinking dots changed, becoming three, and they were now labeled. Two were labeled with numbers and the third with a name.

He was here to acquire the services of the named one. Quickly hopping down, he arrived at the compound. Not bothering to knock, he smashed the heavy-duty door in. A loud siren played, and a few dozen men filtered to his location; filling the hall he had entered. Red lights flashed as he stared them down.

Some of them seemed to lose their spirit at the creature's unnerving stare, but one of them charged forward and the others were reassured enough to follow. Cell defeated them handily. Surprisingly, he didn't kill them. Stalking through hall after hall, he finally came upon the room that must hold his target.

Tearing through the door, he was immediately struck by a beam of concentrated energy, "How cute," Cell remarked, unfazed. The room was quite dark, allowing its occupant to hide in the shadows. Suddenly, Cell whirled and caught a sharp blade between two fingers. He flared his golden aura to provide light.

"Tao, I presume," he drawled. Tao, the mercenary, struggled to remove his bladed arm from Cell's grip. Cell smirked, "I have a proposition for you…"

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Gohan spent his time working on the farm and practicing his new technique (as well as training and working on old techniques, of course). His suit fully tailored showed up at Capsule Corporation -where he had asked it be delivered- so he was ready for the premiere. He finally told his mother about it, dreading her reaction but determined not to lie again, and was quite surprised with her reaction. He wasn't entirely sure what she 'approved' of, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Eighteen spent much of her time with Mascara, going into further detail about the incident with Cell or about Krillin (Mascara was amazed that Krillin had powers similar to Eighteen's). Eighteen ended up forgetting about Gohan's new form, and her desire to see it, due to all of Mascara's questions.

Finally, it was the day of the premiere.

* * *

A/N: Turns out Gohan stumbled on another technique. Goku gave him a really vague explanation on Instant Transmission that didn't really tell him how to do it. I'm still debating what to call it, but I'm leaning towards 'light displacement'. What do you guys think?


	27. Chapter 27: The Premiere

Chapter 27: The Premiere

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: So… it's been awhile. About two months really. Sorry it took so long; there were a lot of things about this chapter that I was unsure of. When you add that to laziness and lack of motivation… and then I went and started a new story… yeah. I think I'll post the prologue for it pretty soon. I've got about 10k words in total for it, but I don't want to start posting regularly for it quite yet. It's going to be a longfic and I want to plan everything out properly.

Regarding the schedule for _this_ story… I've decided to scrap it. I'm tired of writing for a deadline, and I'm even more tired of not meeting it. I'll post new chapters when I finish them.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Oh! Also, this story has surpassed 100,000 views! Hurray!

* * *

Gohan buttoned up his shirt, looking closely to make sure he didn't miss a button. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, flipping the collar up in preparation for the dreaded tie. He settled the strangely shaped piece of red cloth around his neck, taking a deep breath to ready himself for the trials to come.

 _"Why does this have to be so complicated?"_ he thought, trying to recall how Eighteen had taught him to tie it. After a lot of twisting, flipping, wrapping, and fiddling with the thing, he gave up.

 _"I'll just ask mom to help,"_ he decided. Entering the hall, he passed Goten's room, from which he could hear loud snores, and entered the living room. Chichi sat on the couch, looking through old picture albums. From over her shoulder, he saw that the current page held pictures from her wedding. She giggled occasionally as she looked at them, likely remembering what had happened. Gohan would admit to being curious but there were more important things at the moment.

"Hey, mom? Could I get some help?" he asked.

She looked up, noticing the tie lying limply in his hands, "Of course, sweetie!" she said with a slight smile. She stood and did up his tie, flipping his collar down and smoothing out the wrinkles on his shirt, "Now, just to make sure, have you brushed your teeth?" He nodded. "Combed your hair?" He nodded. "Do you remember when it starts?" Another nod.

"8:30, but I'll meet Eighteen at 8:00."

Chichi smiled, satisfied with his answer, "This is a formal event so remember your manners! Don't forget to tell Eighteen she looks nice. Hold any doors open for her. Pull out her chair for her. Don't forget to-,"

"Alright, alright! I get it, mom!" he said with exasperation.

Chichi frowned, "I just want to make sure everything goes well! This is a very important day for you!" she said. _"If it goes badly, they might not get married! If they don't get married, I won't get grandbabies! This has to go well!"_ she thought fervently. She gave him a push, "Go put your jacket on; I want to see how you look."

Gohan nodded. Entering his room once more he looked in the mirror, examining the tie. He couldn't help but pull at it, despite knowing he would be scolded if caught doing so, but it just felt like it was going to choke him. One thing's for sure, he would never wear one in a fight.

Picking up the black suit-jacket, he shrugged it on, once again checking the mirror, _"I suppose it does look pretty good,"_ he admitted to himself. It fit well, having been tailored before it was sent to Capsule Corp. It only took a short trip to pick it up and he hadn't had to reveal his real address. They probably didn't deliver out here, anyway.

Pulling at the tie once more, he went out to present himself for inspection. Chichi cooed in appreciation, "Oh, you look so handsome!" she praised. She closed her eyes and held her hands against her chest, speaking in a dreamy voice, "This brings back memories of marrying your father. He was just as handsome that day!"

Gohan blushed, "Uh, well, thanks, mom."

Chichi gazed at him warmly. She took a quick glance at the clock and her heart skipped a beat. She hurried toward him, performing last minute checks, "It's almost time to go, are you sure you're not forgetting anything?"

Gohan smiled gently, "I'm sure. There really wasn't much to do. Besides, Satan City isn't far."

She looked disapproving, "I don't understand why it has to be in the city named after _that_ man."

Gohan shrugged, "I wouldn't know."

"He just gets on my nerves. Especially that laugh of his!"

* * *

Hovering above the large statue of Mr. Satan, Gohan found Eighteen and Mascara waiting next to it. There were a number of other people there as well, many of them gawking at Eighteen, though she ignored them completely.

The location was chosen only for its recognizability and the fact that it was well-lit and therefore easier to find for Gohan and Krillin, both of whom had never set foot inside the city. Eighteen turned her head, seeming to notice him, and nodded. He nodded back.

He looked for a place to land unseen; rather simple seeing as the sun had nearly set. The dark shadows provided plenty of cover. Walking out of his chosen alley, he approached the girls. They exchanged greetings and he took a spot next to Eighteen while they waited for Krillin to show up.

Finally remembering some of his mother's advice, he took the chance to observe Eighteen's outfit. Of course, Eighteen had never looked anything less than beautiful, so giving a compliment shouldn't be too hard. He looked at her, actually _looked_ , not the cursory glance he had given earlier, and whatever he was going to say stuck in his throat. She was _gorgeous_. And that's not something he would think lightly. In fact, he had never had that particular thought about anyone. Until now.

She wore a black dress, coming down to just above her knees. It had an open back; a band of cloth connected seamlessly to the front looped around her neck to hold the dress up. It didn't _hug_ her so much as give slight hints at the body underneath in such a way that Gohan might forget to breathe. She wore earrings with tear-shaped stones hanging from delicate chains. They caught the light, twinkling whenever she turned her head.

He finally managed to blink and, at the same time, she noticed his attention on her. She gave a small smirk and smoothed out a wrinkle near her waist, perhaps a bit more slowly than was necessary. For some reason, Gohan found that hand incredibly interesting.

She cleared her throat, getting his attention. With a victorious smile, "You look good. Very handsome."

Gohan blushed furiously, scratching his cheek, "Thanks," he said nervously. It took a second for him to remember he needed to respond. "You look…" his voice caught for a second, "Amazing."

Eighteen's smile grew wide but she quickly controlled it. Mascara was snickering behind her but Gohan really wasn't paying any attention to her. Not that he was trying to be rude, he was just… distracted.

"Thank you," Eighteen said. Gohan nodded awkwardly, not sure what else to do.

Eventually, Gohan noticed Mascara smiling mysteriously and giving him frequent glances, _"What's that about?"_ he wondered. She wore a red dress that was a bit shorter than Eighteen's; her hair down and curled elegantly.

He looked at Eighteen curiously, hoping she might give an explanation, but all he received was another mysterious smile. Shrugging the evasion off, he focused, searching for Krillin's ki.

 _"Hmm, he's not far away but he isn't moving very fast,"_ he thought. Of course, Gohan wasn't the best judge of speed, sometimes forgetting that very few could move as fast as he.

Eighteen tapped him on the arm, "So what have you been up to since I last saw you? Anything interesting?"

Mascara stared at her in shock, _"Eighteen taking an active interest in someone else? This is serious! She's never asked_ me _anything like that! Though, she might just assume I'll tell her if anything interesting happened. Which I would…"_

Gohan was in a bit of a quandary, because a lot of the things he had done over the past two weeks couldn't be said due to Mascara's presence. He wasn't going to make the same mistake Krillin did. He considered it for a while, trying to think of how he could alter his story to remove the dangerous parts. He noticed Eighteen seemed amused at his perplexity.

He struggled to tell her about his new job farming, trying to recall what the proper tools were called -since he had not bothered to use them. As he gave his halting account, Eighteen seemed to become more and more amused. A quick glance at Mascara showed that she was trying to hold back laughter.

 _"I don't get it. This isn't a funny story. What's so funny?"_ he thought, bewildered. Eventually, Mascara couldn't hold her laughter and Eighteen ended up joining her; the two girls leaning against each other.

Gohan's eyes were once again drawn to Eighteen, almost magnetically. _"She's so beautiful,"_ he thought, face burning. He couldn't understand how he hadn't realized the _importance_ of that sooner. He had always known Eighteen was attractive, ever since he first laid eyes on her. It just hadn't really meant anything to him before. He had always considered beauty as just an aspect of a person; not nearly as important as their heart or their ideals.

A voice distracted him from his thoughts, "Hey guys, what's so funny?" Krillin asked, having snuck up on them. Rather, none of them had been paying attention and he had just walked up to them normally.

The two ladies caught their breath and greeted him. Gohan held out a fist and Krillin bumped his against it. He wore his white suit again, though he had left the hat. Or forgotten it. Gohan didn't really care which.

Since Krillin had finally arrived, they headed off to the premiere venue just a few blocks away. Krillin asked his previous question again, since it hadn't been answered.

Mascara grinned and skipped a few steps ahead of the others, turning to face them. She focused on Krillin, "I know."

Somehow this simple statement scared Krillin. Gohan was looking at her curiously. She took a few steps towards Krillin, poking him in the shoulder, "I know about your powers," she said.

Krillin flinched back, throwing a disbelieving look at the other two. Gohan seemed just as surprised but Eighteen gave him a cool stare. He gulped loudly, "I'm… guessing this is my fault."

It was more a statement than a question. Eighteen crossed her arms, then nodded. She looked at Mascara, "Why don't you and Gohan wait at that corner over there? I'd like to speak with Krillin."

Gohan shrugged and walked on. Krillin watched after him with tears filling his eyes, _"You traitor!"_ he lamented.

Mascara gave him a pained look before addressing Eighteen, "Don't be too hard on him, okay?" then followed after Gohan.

* * *

"So, uh… you defeated Cell?" Mascara asked.

Gohan gave her a surprised look, but nodded hesitantly. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. Gohan nearly jumped back in fright, "W- what's this for?" he squeaked.

Mascara let go, "For saving us from Cell. I can still remember how terrified I was when he showed up on TV and shot that beam that blew a path through the city. I thought we were doomed. So, anyway, thanks!" she said, smiling brightly.

He chuckled bashfully.

She quieted down, clasping her hands, "And more importantly, thank you for saving Eighteen. She's my best friend," her eyes became watery, reflecting light from a streetlamp, "It hurts to think something so awful happened to her," she wiped a tear away, "Thank you so much for saving her."

Gohan gave a slight smile, "You're welcome. Though, I have to admit that saving her was just an accident. When…" he wrinkled his nose in distaste, " _Cell_ absorbed her… I thought she was already dead. I never expected that punching him really hard would let her out. Though, I'm glad it did."

Mascara laughed, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. It was all so weird. Androids, biologically engineered monstrosities, super-powered humans, super-powered aliens, super-powered half-aliens. It was like a bad Sci-fi movie. Still, her best friend had given her plenty of evidence to prove it was real. This kid, half her age, was the most powerful person on the planet -possibly the entire universe. That really ought to intimidate her, but somehow it didn't.

She thought of something and smiled, "Can you really change your hair color at will?"

Gohan barked out a laugh, "Yeah, sorta! Only to gold or red, though."

"Red?! Eighteen didn't tell me about red!"

Gohan scratched his cheek, "I haven't actually shown her that yet, so she probably forgot."

They both laughed. Gohan tugged at his tie again and Mascara slapped his hand away, "Don't do that, a loose tie makes you look lazy!" she took the liberty of fixing it for him, then smoothing it down.

Gohan chuckled, "You act just like my mom!"

Mascara huffed primly, "Your mother sounds like a very strong and intelligent woman!"

Gohan took a step back, "How did you know that!?"

She gave another of those mysterious smiles, "Woman's intuition."

Eighteen caught up with them, Krillin in tow. He was sweating and he twitched noticeably every couple of seconds. They continued on to the theater.

Mascara did her best to calm her date down or, at least, make the twitching stop.

Gohan, walking next to Eighteen, nudged her with his elbow, "What did you say to Krillin? He seemed pretty shaken up," he said, quiet enough that the other two couldn't hear.

Eighteen shrugged, "I… expressed my disappointment at his carelessness," she said simply.

"That's all?"

Eighteen moved a bit closer, her arm brushing his, "That's all."

Gohan blushed, deciding not to pursue the topic.

* * *

Eighteen had told him cameras would be there, but he hadn't expected _this_. He shielded his eyes from the repeated flashes; they were like dozens of little solar flares. He was reminded of just how much he disliked having that technique used on him.

They were on the end of a red carpet that led into the theater. The press had been cordoned off from the carpet, preventing them from storming the celebrities. Apparently, that was a real concern.

" _I don't get the obsessive interest in celebrities that these people have,"_ he thought. Celebrities were just people. Maybe he could understand if they were interested in superpowers, but none of the reporters here knew about that.

Eighteen slipped her arm around his, moving up to the entrance. There was a raucous as everyone noticed her presence. Some of the more determined ones jumped over the cordon, but security quickly took care of them. He could hear a lot of questions being shouted at Eighteen, though she ignored them expertly.

They made it to the building's entrance. The door was fixed open, so Gohan couldn't hold it for her like his mother had told him to. Once they were in, Gohan sighed with relief, glad for the time to let his eyes rest. They found themselves in a lobby with people that were much calmer than the crowd outside. Most were famous or involved in the making of the film. Gohan didn't recognize any of them.

He heard a loud, boisterous laugh. An afroed man stood in the middle of a decently large crowd, trumpeting the story of how he won the last tournament, _"Okay, maybe I recognize one."_

His eyes widened in sudden realization, _"Will he recognize me?! If he lets the cat out of the bag, our anonymity will be ruined!"_ he thought. He shook his head, _"No. The last time he saw me, I was eleven and a Super Saiyan. There's no way he'll make the connection."_

Eighteen dragged him around to mingle and introduce him to some of her coworkers. He mostly stayed quiet, always polite but obviously not comfortable. After a while he just took to watching her as she talked, marveling at the way she seemed to fit in here. It was all so foreign, unfamiliar, and he felt distinctly out of place.

"Are you doing alright?" Eighteen asked, pulling him away from the group they had been visiting. She placed a hand lightly on his arm, wearing a slight frown of concern, "You seem kind of… withdrawn."

Gohan scratched the back of his head, "Ehhh… Sorry, Eighteen. I just don't really… have anything in common with these people."

Eighteen frowned, "I suppose that's true." She pulled absently at a lock of hair then smiled, "You want to go talk to the special effects guys? They know a lot about explosions."

Gohan laughed, "Alright, sounds like fun!"

Eventually, someone got the room's attention and announced that the movie would begin soon. Everyone filed in, sitting amongst rows of red seats before a large screen.

"So, this is a movie theater, huh?" Gohan said.

"You've honestly never been in one?" Eighteen asked.

"No, never."

Krillin and Mascara settled in, to Eighteen's left. Mascara was talking animatedly to Krillin, who occasionally got in a word or two when she paused for breath. The movie started.

* * *

Joey carefully adjusted his bow-tie, then combed his hair back with his fingers. He had foregone glasses for contact lenses, despite how much he hated them. He left the bathroom, then busied himself with wiping down the tables in the main room.

 _"It was difficult, but I managed to infiltrate the after-party venue. I could probably be a spy,"_ he thought, modestly. He made a point of keeping his head down and facing away from the other employees. _"It'd be troublesome if they realize I don't actually work here."_

He moved to the next table, spraying a cleaning solution on it. _"I've personally confirmed that my target is at the premiere."_ Joey was in the crowd with the Press. _"Now I just need a way to confirm my findings. I'm sure I'll think of something once he gets here,"_ he thought, shrugging lazily.

After seeing unassisted flight, he spent much of his time gathering information. His best lead was a recording of the Cell games, which showed a number of flying warriors. After watching it a few times, he recognized one of the fighters. Tien, winner of a previous tournament. A quick trip to the library to access their stock of old newspapers confirmed it.

Unfortunately, there were no records of the seating arrangements. He had been hoping to look some of the spectators up for an interview. A first-hand source would be extremely valuable, not to mention several of them.

 _"I can't believe there was so little information about people who had those kinds of abilities. Were people not as curious back then? Didn't they want to know how it was done?"_

Further research had revealed another prominent contestant and the winner of the next tournament, a man called 'Son Goku'. The same family name as his target. That couldn't be a coincidence. _"If I can acquire undeniable evidence of these abilities, I'll be famous!"_ He frowned in thought, _"But, if they're real, then wouldn't that mean Mr. Satan is a fraud? He can't fly or make things explode, yet he somehow defeated Cell -a monster that could?"_

He stopped scrubbing and shook his head, _"I can worry about that later. I'm sure everything will be fine."_

* * *

The movie was great! Or at least the parts that Gohan actually caught. He spent much of the movie being very aware of how Eighteen's arm brushed against his. Or trying not to stare at her; he found the subtle changes in her expression to be more interesting than the movie.

Everyone filed back into the lobby, slowly filtering out of the building. The gaggle of reporters was still there, which Gohan found appalling. _"Were they just standing there for two hours?!"_

It wasn't long before they were back outside. _"I wonder how many pictures of me there are now?"_ he thought.

Mascara skipped ahead, holding Krillin's arm, "On to the after-party!" she exclaimed. Gohan glanced at Eighteen curiously. She shrugged and grabbed his hand, moving to catch up with Krillin and Mascara.

The afterparty was in a single story building at the corner of an intersection. It had a flashing neon sign above the door and as decoration on the walls. Inside there were many round tables, a bar, and a clear space in the middle for dancing.

Music played quietly, so they didn't have to shout at each other. The four found a table and sat down to wait for all the other guests to arrive. Half an hour later the party started and Gohan found himself on the dance floor with Eighteen. A slower song was playing; Eighteen was considerate enough to _not_ make him flail around like an idiot for everyone to see.

"Put your hands on my waist," she instructed.

Gohan hesitated, "Are you sure that's… I mean, it just seems…"

Eighteen got fed up with waiting and grabbed his hands, doing it for him. Gohan's face flushed red. Eighteen smiled fondly, "See, the world didn't end."

Gohan chuckled, "Y- Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Her arms snaked up around his neck and they began to sway to the music. Gohan had excellent spatial awareness, but he was so nervous he couldn't take his eyes off his feet; he didn't want to step on hers, after all. After the first song, he felt like he had the hang of it; taking his eyes off the floor, he was able to simply enjoy dancing and the sensation of holding Eighteen close. He particularly enjoyed the latter.

As their third song ended, Eighteen looked up at him, lips slightly parted. It felt like the world shook beneath him, and he just _knew_ something incredible was about to happen. His hands slid from her waist to her back, pulling her closer. Eighteen's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something. Then the world shook again. This time he realized it wasn't his imagination.

There was a flash of light and a loud _bang_ as a hole was blown through the wall. Screams of panic ensued, as everyone sought cover; behind the bar, underneath tables, in the bathroom. Gohan and Eighteen took stances, readying themselves for… whatever had made the hole.

Dust hovered in the air and silence reigned. Gohan's eyes narrowed, _"I don't sense anything."_ He searched for Krillin's ki, then took a quick glance at him. He was standing protectively in front of Mascara. _"Good. One less thing to worry about."_

Just as Gohan had decided to take off the tie, there was a flash of light. Eighteen leaped forward and blocked the beam attack, letting it fizzle out uselessly against her hand. The bystanders gawked at the sight. Gohan used the spectacle to remove his tie and jacket, transforming seamlessly when he was reasonably sure no one was looking. _"Now nobody should recognize me."_

The dust cleared and a figure stepped into the room. He was tall, well-muscled, and -disturbingly- had bits of metal attached to his skin. Only one of his eyes was organic, the other a convex oval affixed to his face; glowing green in the low light.

Gohan's fists tightened. _"Android!"_

* * *

A/N: Okay, let's talk FTL (This will be the last time. I'm tired of talking about this). First, I've found no official statements on whether any of the z-fighters can move FTL without the aid of techniques like instant transmission. I take this to mean it is up for interpretation. I am of the opinion that they cannot. Either way, I'm not changing what I've written, even if you prove me wrong (because it would be a pain in the ass, and because this is fanfiction, and because I'm the author, so I can make these kinds of decisions).

Thank you for reading the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! :)


	28. Chapter 28: Chaos

Chapter 28: Chaos

A/N: It's the anniversary of the day I posted this story, so I figured I'd try and start posting for it again. No guarantees on when chapters will come out, but I'll try for one every month. My goal right now is to finish out this arc, at least. I actually considered doing a rewrite a few times, but I've decided I'd rather finish the story before I think about doing that. Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 _"I would make_ such _a good spy!"_ Joey thought. He was hidden behind the bar, leaning around the side to see the action. A compact video camera recorded the scene with crystal clarity. _"Now, I have hard evidence of superpowers, access to dozens of first-hand witnesses, a chance to witness and record the first supernatural fight since the Cell Games, and…"_ He turned the camera to the golden-haired man standing behind Eighteen. _"One of the fighters from that very tournament!"_

That last bit was the biggest reason he wasn't freaking out right now. What could this random cyborg guy do against someone who fought Cell? He turned to Mr. Satan, hiding behind an overturned table. The other people had crowded around him, focusing hopeful gazes upon their savior. _"I wonder how he'll handle this? Will he try to fight?"_ He made a mental note to keep an eye on Hercule.

* * *

 _"No no no no NO! Why does this stuff always happen to me?!"_ Hercule Satan, Savior of Earth, Defeater of Cell, all around fraud of the century, thought. He chewed his nails nervously, avoiding the stares of his avid admirers. Their hateful eyes may have been full of hope and trust, but they filled him with despair.

 _"I'm way out of my league, here!"_ He groaned. _"Oohhh, but if I don't do something they might lose faith in me. I'll be ruined! What do I do?"_ He clasped his hands and closed his eyes. _"Oh, Lord in Heaven. Take pity upon your humble servant! Please send me a sign to lead the way!"_

Whispers cascaded from his fans.

"Is he praying?"

"Some kind of pre-battle ritual?"

"He's asking God to forgive his enemies! How merciful!"

"Mr. Satan is the greatest!"

He decided to roll with it. He peeked over the table, taking in the situation. And then… he saw the light. _"I-It's one o' them golden-hair guys!"_ he thought, smiling like a kid in a candy store. He pumped his fists vigorously. _"I'm saved! Oh, thank you, Lord!"_

"Is he shadow-boxing? Incredible!"

"Good luck, Mr. Satan!"

"Don't wish _him_ luck. Wish the other guy luck. He'll need it more! After all, he'll be fighting the world champ!"

Hercule felt a shiver run down his spine. _"I don't know how you guys place so much faith in me."_ Feeling more secure now that he was aware of the Golden Fighter in their midst, he stood tall and proud. He sauntered over to stand in front of Gohan and Eighteen, placing his hands on his hips.

"Surrender now, foul villain, and maybe I'll let you off lightly!" He crossed his arms to seem more imposing, emphasizing his incredible pecs. The spectators cheered for him, sucking up the heady machismo he exuded like a vacuum cleaner on turbo.

He peeked behind him, just to make sure the Gold Kid was still there. He was. Hercule's heart settled down, going from full-powered jet engine to a simple suped-up hot rod. _"Alright, I've got this. Now, how to get this kid to fight him off without looking bad?"_

* * *

Gohan couldn't close his mouth. What the hell was Mr. Satan _doing?!_ He was gonna get himself killed! He looked at Eighteen. She had a hand over her mouth with her shoulders shaking.

The Android raised an arm with a metallic hand. There was a hole in its palm, a bright light shining within. Gohan's eyes widened. _"No!"_ He barreled forth, ramming the metallic man out of the hole he came from.

They landed in the streets, the darkness too thick to see, but Gohan could still see the android's glowing eye. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Why are you here?"

Explosions rang in the distance, spheres of light billowing up from other parts of the city. Gohan gaped at the sight. His eyes narrowed and he flared his aura. "What's going on?!" The bright gold lit up the street, revealing his adversary.

The android stood, taking a fighting stance. "My orders are confidential. Know only that I will kill you," it said, monotone. Another explosion rang out.

Gohan grit his teeth. _"Damn, something big is happening. I have to find out what's going on—No! I have to stop it!"_ The android launched at him, throwing a fist at high speed. Gohan side-stepped and chopped him in the back of the neck. He fell to the ground, unmoving. _"I should try to contact Dende. He should know what's happening."_

Eighteen flew out of the building, landing next to him. She nudged the unconscious android with a foot. "No trouble?"

Gohan frowned, looking at dark trails of smoke in the distance. "Not with him, no." He looked at Eighteen. "How about in there? Everyone alright?"

She nodded. "Nobody's hurt. They're not even scared. The buffoon convinced them that you're a student of his, so they've broken out candles and started carving idols of him from chair legs."

"What!? Really?"

Eighteen smirked. "No."

Gohan scratched his head, chuckling. "Oh. Right. Shoulda known." His smile faded. "We need to get everyone out of here and somewhere safe. That's not the only guy causing mayhem." He grimaced. "Sorry about… back there. I kinda left that blast to you and now…"

Eighteen shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Honestly, I don't mind if people find out about what I can do."

Gohan raised a golden brow. "Really? What changed your mind?"

She shrugged. "I told Mascara and the world didn't end. Actually, she handled it really well. Maybe I've been underestimating people?"

Gohan blinked. _"Doesn't that mean… that I've been underestimating them, too?"_ He shook his head. _"No, we hid our powers for different reasons. Eighteen didn't want to deal with the hassle; I just want to protect my anonymity."_

He snapped out of his thoughts and picked up the man at his feet. "Maybe we should have them tie him up? Or… is there some way we can… switch him off?"

Eighteen frowned. "Why would I know?"

"Uh, that's not—I wasn't trying to imply, uh, that you should know everything about androids just because you _are_ one or anything. I-I mean, I was just asking. In case you did, y'know?" He tugged at his collar, eyes swimming.

Eighteen sighed. "Well, fact is, I don't know."

Gohan nodded and headed back in, tossing the man on the floor. He talked with Krillin and Mascara, asking Krillin to evacuate everyone somewhere safe. Krillin left to coordinate with Mr. Satan.

"It'll be easier that way," he'd said. "These guys would jump off a cliff if he asked them to. Uh... I'll make sure he doesn't ask them to do anything stupid."

That taken care of, Gohan reached out mentally for Dende. _"Dende, can you hear me?"_ He waited a moment.

" _Yes, Gohan. I'm here. Sorry I didn't contact you sooner. Piccolo is investigating the events happening down there and I was busy talking to him."_

Gohan nodded. _"I understand. But… what_ is _happening? An android crashed our party… literally!"_

" _You're not the only one with an unexpected visitor. These guys have shown up in all the major cities. They're wreaking havoc and I don't know why! From what Piccolo tells me, they're not particularly strong so just find them and take them out as soon as possible. I'll try and keep track of them so none of them get away."_

" _Right. Got it."_ Gohan ended the communication. Everyone filed out at Hercule's direction, except for a man behind the bar. Gohan found Eighteen and explained the situation to her.

Eighteen put her hands on her hips. "So, I just need to take out some small-fry? I can do that. Though…" She plucked at her dress. "I'll need to get changed."

Gohan ran his eyes down her dress and gulped. "Uh, yeah. I suppose that's not very good for fighting in." He rubbed his mouth. "Apparently, they're in every major city. Do you think you could head to South City and handle the ones there? I'll handle this city. I think Tien's near East City, Vegeta's at West City, and Piccolo went up to North City. After I finish up here, I'll head to Capital City and that should cover everything."

Eighteen nodded. "Alright, sounds like a plan." She took off. Gohan looked for a smoke trail and did the same.

* * *

Gohan burst into a skyscraper, following a path of destruction. Explosions shook the floor, knocking computers, papers, coffee, pens, staplers, etc. off of desks. A scream pierced the air and he followed a hole in the floor to the next level below. Another android held a woman by her throat with a machinized arm, the other arm pulled back to end her life.

Gohan grit his teeth and vanished. He appeared before the Android and grabbed his arm, crushing it and causing him to drop the woman. _"I think this is that last one."_ He punched the man in the face, shattering his metallic jaw. He flew through several walls and fell to the ground. _"Next stop is Capital City, I guess?"_

The building creaked and the woman clung to his leg, screaming her head off. _"Damn, this building is gonna collapse. I have to get everyone out!"_ He looked down. "Excuse me, ma'am." He picked her up and wrapped an arm around her waist then burst through the window and left her on the roof of a nearby building. _"I'm sure she can find her way down,"_ he thought.

He searched the building for other ki signatures and went about saving anyone still there, depositing them on the same roof as the woman. He left the building as it toppled. "Oh, crap! The way it's falling… it's going to crush that other building!" Were there people in there? There wasn't time to check. He had to do something.

He flew in front of the falling skyscraper. _"Ahhh, can I just… push it back in place? No, that'll never work, it would just collapse around wherever I'm pushing."_ He bit his lip. _"I'll have to destroy it."_

Good thing he knew no one was in there. He pulled his hands back and charged a Kamehameha. _"I'll have to do this in one shot or I'll have debris raining down on pedestrians."_

He poured energy into the attack, painting the night blue. His hands shot forth. "Haaaa!" he yelled, as an ultra wide swathe of blue burst from his hands. It consumed the building, destroying it utterly. Only the stable trunk of the structure and a large cloud of dust and smoke remained. Gohan smirked. "Not bad."

He looked around to assess the damage. There were a few fires here and there, but firetrucks peeled along the roads toward them. No other buildings seemed at risk of collapsing any time soon.

"Alright. Time to go." He rose to the sky, preparing to head to Capital City.

Dende's voice interrupted him. _"Gohan, forget about Capital City. Something more important has happened!"_

" _What? But who's going to deal with the androids there?"_

" _I'll get someone on it. But, right now, I need you to head North. Someone has stolen the Dragonball from Piccolo and I think they have the others. You have to stop them before they use it!"_

Gohan's jaw fell. _"How'd they get the Dragonball from Piccolo?"_

" _Uh… I don't know. He wasn't very forthcoming with that information… Just, go there! Don't worry about Capital City!"_

Gohan nodded and flew to the North.

* * *

Krillin watched as people filed into Mr. Satan's bunker. He wasn't sure why Hercule _had_ a bunker but it was good that he did. Every couple minutes an explosion would go off in the distance. _"Man, what in the world is going on?"_

A large flash of blue in the distance decimated a building. The people waiting to enter the bunker began to panic, pushing and shoving.

Mascara gripped his shoulder. "Krillin, do something. Someone's going to get hurt!"

Krillin blinked. _"Oh, right. They don't know that was Gohan. Though… I'm not sure why he blew up that building…"_ He ran and hopped up onto a nearby roof then cleared his throat. "Excuse me, everyone! Please give me your attention!"

His voice rang out loud over the people in the courtyard. They began to settle down. Krillin coughed into a hand. "Please do not panic. I assure you that you are all safe." He pointed down to where Hercule was trying to sneak to the front of the line to get in. "After all, the World Champion is here to protect you! How can you be scared of a measly little explosion when the man who defeated the monster Cell is right here?"

The tension in the air began to dissipate, many joking about with each other and cheering on Mr. Satan. Krillin grinned. _"Man, that guy is useful."_

Hercule pulled at his afro as people swarmed him, pushing him further from the entrance to the bunker. Krillin chuckled.

The explosions died down and Krillin felt Gohan leaving the city. _"Guess he's done here? It must be safe then."_ Mascara was close to the end of the line and it was nearly her turn to enter. Krillin grabbed her arm and pulled her out of line.

"What? What are you doing, Krillin?" she asked.

Krillin pulled her along. "I'm gonna take you somewhere safer. Plus, I need to talk with Dende, anyway."

"What? I don't understand, who's Dende?"

Krillin grinned. "Just hang on tight, alright?" He wrapped her arms about his neck and pulled her into a piggyback then took to the air.

"Wha—! Warn me if you're gonna do that!" She smacked his shoulder and wrapped her arms tighter about his neck.

Krillin chuckled. "Sorry, sorry. I couldn't help it." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, we're going to the Lookout. You won't have to worry about anything happening to you there."

Mascara frowned. "What about all those other people? Why don't you bring them with us?"

Krillin grimaced. "It's pretty far. I can't carry them all. Besides, I'm pretty sure Gohan's already handled all the threats here." He blushed. "I just… I want you to be extra safe… is all." He scratched his cheek, eyes focused on the horizon.

Mascara blinked and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Oh? And why is that?"

Krillin coughed up a fit. "Uh, well, that's… Ehem, I-I'm gonna speed up, now, so hold on tight."

He blasted off in a trail of white aura.

* * *

Bulma cursed up a storm as she operated the defense mechanisms for Capsule Corporation. There were two androids trying to break in for some reason. Vegeta could take care of this easily IF HE WERE HERE!

"I cannot _believe_ he just took off like that. Especially when his _wife_ is in danger! I swear, next time I see that man, he's gonna get such an earful he'll go _deaf_! Ughhh!"

She smashed the button that would release all of Vegeta's training bots. They swarmed out and started chasing down one of the androids, unleashing a volley of energy bolts. Trunks pulled on her sleeve. "Can I go out, mom? I can help, promise!"

Bulma sighed. "No, sweetie. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Ah, come on! I'm really strong! Those guys won't stand a chance!"

Bulma frowned. "No, Trunks, and that's final!"

Trunks sulked in the corner. His head shot up. "Can I at least use one of the turrets? I'm a pretty good shot."

Bulma rubbed a hand down her face. "Yeah. Sure. Knock yourself out."

Trunks hopped up, pumping a fist. "Yeah! Thanks, mom!"

She looked at her video feeds to make sure Trunks didn't shoot anything he shouldn't. Her eyes widened. "Yamcha?! What's he doing here?" He was dressed in his orange gi and fighting the other android trying to get in. Trunks opened fire on the droid and Yamcha finished it off while it was distracted with a Wolf Fang Fist.

He turned towards the building and waved. "Hey, Bulma! You in there? Thought you could use some help, seeing as Vegeta flew off!"

Bulma tapped her finger on the console, then pressed the intercom button. "Yeah, thanks, Yamcha. Come on in."

* * *

The sky turned dark and a stream of golden energy pierced the sky. "They've already summoned Shenron," Gohan said. "I'll have to get there, quick. Who knows what they want to use the wish for?" He frowned. "Wait, is that what this attack was about? A distraction so they could summon the dragon?"

He bit his lip. _"How many people even_ know _about the dragon balls? Is it Red Ribbon again? Are there actually any left? I thought for sure Gero was the last one."_ It couldn't be any of the Z-fighters trying to summon Shenron. Piccolo had had one of the balls stolen from him. Why would any of their friends do that? They could just ask.

Shenron began to materialize and Gohan followed his tail to where the Dragon balls laid. They were nestled at the bottom of a canyon, cliff walls rising tall on either side. Gohan landed, but the area was empty.

Shenron's gravelly voice rang out, **"You who have summoned me. Speak your wish."**

Gohan craned his neck up at the monstrous dragon. "Oh, hey there, Shenron!" He looked around. "False alarm, I guess?"

 **"Nevertheless. Speak your wish."**

Gohan frowned, scratching his head. "I don't really think now is the—" He spun and crossed his arms, blocking a white fist. His eyes widened. "Cell!"

Cell clicked his tongue. "I nearly had you."

Gohan's eyes flicked to the halo over Cell's head. His eyes narrowed. _"I see._ That's _what's going on."_ He pulled his lip back in a snarl and spoke in a low voice. "How did you get here, Cell? This is no place for you."

Cell laughed. "Au contraire. This place is not only _for_ me. It will soon _belong_ to me. Ah, for a short time, that is. I grow tired of things so quickly these days."

Gohan threw his arms apart, knocking Cell away. "What makes you think this time will be any different? I killed you once, I can kill you again."

Cell's grin became absolutely menacing. "This time, my dear boy, I have insurance."

 **"Ehem, your wish? If you would be so kind,"** Shenron said.

Cell held up a finger. "Just one moment, good sir. This won't take long."

Gohan furrowed his brow. "What insurance? What are you talking about?"

"I must ask, my young friend. How's the family? Doing well, I hope?"

Gohan's guts twisted. He clenched a fist. "What have you done?"

Cell gasped, taking a step back. "Dear me! Nothing, of course! Ah… but my friends. They're so reckless at times…"

 _"Androids? Did he send them after Mom and Goten?"_ His hands began to shake. _"Bastard! What do I do? Goten can't handle those androids on his own! He's just a kid!"_

Cell approached, looking down his nose at Gohan and smiling darkly. "You can try to stop me here and now, but my 'friends' are already on their way to your quaint little home. Can you defeat me and stop them in time? Or will you give up on your family? What's more important to you, Gohan?"

Thoughts raced through Gohan's mind, crashing into each other like cars in a city with no traffic lights. Did he stop Cell now and prevent whatever destruction he might cause, but at the cost of his family? Or did he let Cell do what he wanted and save his family?

A blast came sailing down from the sky, landing between the two. Gohan leapt back and covered his eyes to keep out the dust. He waved an arm to clear it, revealing Vegeta facing Cell down.

"Gohan. Go."

Gohan left.

* * *

A/N: What did you think? Worth the wait? I'll try not to keep you waiting so long for the next chapter. To be honest, the Joey and Hercule scenes at the beginning were written like 5 months ago. I came back to reread them a few days ago and it was so much more hilarious than I remembered! I couldn't _not_ write this chapter after that.


	29. Chapter 29: Royal Flush

Chapter 29: Royal Flush

A/N: Finished this sooner than expected. So, here ya go!

* * *

Krillin and Mascara descended upon the Lookout.

"Wow, so this is the Lookout? It's so high! How does it stay up here?"

Krillin shrugged. "Magic, I guess. Look, there's Dende." Krillin landed lightly near the young Namekian. "Hey, good to see ya, Dende. Ah, well, it's not under the _best_ circumstances…"

Dende smiled and shook his head. "No, it's good to see you, too, Krillin. Who's your friend?"

Mascara got down from Krillin's back and curtsied. "My humble name is Mascara, your lordship."

Dende blinked, his cheeks turning red. "Wha—? Lordship?"

Krillin rubbed his forehead. "I, uh, kinda told her that you're God. I mean, you _are_... kinda.

Mascara giggled. "I was just trying to show the proper respect to such an important personage."

Dende puffed his chest out, standing straighter.

She stuck her lip out at Krillin. "Did I do it wrong?"

"Well… no. I guess not." He shook his head. "More importantly, Dende, what's going on? We were attacked by some kind of Android. Like, metal parts, glowing eyes, the whole shebang!"

Dende nodded solemnly. "Someone has gathered the Dragonballs. I think this is a distraction so they can use them." His eyes widened. "Right! It's good you're here. I sent Gohan after them, but now I need someone to deal with the threat at Capital City. Do you think you can do it?"

Krillin scratched his head, glancing at Mascara out of the corner of his eye. "Well… I mean, I'd love to help… I'm just not sure—"

Mascara put her hands on his shoulders. "Hey, don't worry about me. You said it was safe up here, right?"

Krillin nodded. "I _did_ say that."

Dende coughed. "If anything happens, I could take her into the time chamber and call for help. That'll give you plenty of time to get here."

Mascara smiled. "Yeah, we'll just go in the… what? Time chamber?" She frowned. "That's not what it sounds like, is it? I really can't tell with you guys…"

Krillin chuckled, scratching his nose. "No, it's exactly what it sounds like."

"Y-You're kidding! You actually have something like that!?"

Dende nodded. "Yes. It's a very ancient and valuable artifact." He raised a finger, eyes shining. "I also have this other room that I made—"

"Alright, I'll go," Krillin said. "Just… stay safe, alright?"

Dende's jaw fell, his hand reaching out as if to grasp the attention they'd taken from him.

Mascara took a deep breath and smiled. "That's what I should be saying. You're the one going into a dangerous situation. So, be safe, Krillin. I don't want this to be our last date."

Krillin flushed, waving a hand lazily. "No worries, babe. I've handled androids before."

Mascara quirked a brow. "The way I heard it, _you're_ the one that was handled."

Krillin coughed. "Yeah, well, different points of view and all that…" He took a deep breath. "Well… I should go."

Mascara nodded and cupped his cheeks, giving him a kiss. Krillin's eyes went wide as saucers and he stumbled back a few steps.

Mascara wiggled her fingers. "Good luck!"

Krillin nodded, beat red, and took off, Dende's laughter trailing off behind him.

* * *

Cell crossed his arms. "Well, well, well. Vegeta, Ponce of Saiyans. Quick question: have I killed you before? I feel like I have, but I don't quite remember."

"Cute. You think you're very clever, don't you?" He frowned. "You oversized insectoid. It'll feel good to finally crush you underboot."

Cell laughed. "Oh, come now, Vegeta. You just watched the only one capable of challenging me fly away. Is this another pride thing? You want to test your mettle again? I must have hit you _really_ hard if you can't remember what happened last time."

Vegeta snorted and looked up at Shenron. "Hey, dragon! Bring Cell back to life and beat it!"

Shenron's eyes glowed red and Cell's halo shattered. **"Your wish has been granted. Farewell."** The Dragonballs lit up and flew into the sky then scattered across the world.

Cell held his hands in front of him, examining himself. He laughed. "I never took you for a philanthropist, Vegeta. I'm surprised."

"Ha. I just wanted the pleasure of squeezing the life out of you. Killing a dead man is meaningless."

Cell smirked. "I see. Well, if it's a fight you wish, I'm happy to oblige. Of course, I'm a busy man, so I'll have to kill you quickly. I've other obligations, you see."

Vegeta ascended to Super Saiyan, golden aura spouting up from his feet. "Don't worry, I won't keep you long."

Cell covered his face, laughing. "You think you actually have a chance! Oh, you poor misguided soul!" He stood straight, arms curled to his side and let his power rage. Aura and lightning spewed and sputtered about him, the ground shook, rocks fell from the cliffs on either side, splashing into the narrow river at the center of the canyon.

Cell cut it off. "Do you see, Vegeta? Your inferiority? It's humbling, isn't it?" He clenched a fist before his eyes, knuckles cracking audibly. "Thanks to my Saiyan DNA and the optimizations of Dr. Gero, I'm stronger than _ever_ now that I've come back to life. You stand no chance."

Vegeta snorted. "We'll see."

Cell fired a ki blast and Vegeta knocked it away, barreling forth with enough force to carve a line in the ground beneath him. He threw a fist and Cell blocked then tossed his arm out, knocking Vegeta into the cliffside. Vegeta burst back out and attacked in a flurry, kicking and punching like the wind. Cell dodged and weaved, barely taking a scratch.

He smirked. "It's obvious you're no match for me, so I'm just going to end this sham." He caught Vegeta's hands and kneed him in the gut. Vegeta coughed, spittle flying out of his mouth, and tore his hands away, taking distance.

"Damn!" he shouted. "I can't believe this! He's got me totally outclassed!" His lips curled into a grin. "If only there was a way to increase my power… to go to the next level." He chuckled. "If only."

He spread his arms and shouted and his aura burst forth once again but, this time, it was fiercer and lightning coursed through it. The next level. An Ascended Super Saiyan.

Cell's jaw fell, but he quickly gathered himself. "Alright, so you can do _that_ little trick. Meaningless. I'm _far_ greater than I was last time." He grit his teeth. "I have achieved a perfection FAR GREATER!" He let his power go wild. Wind whipped through the canyon, tossing the river into a froth. Boulders broke from the cliffs but didn't fall, instead rising further into the air.

Cell hurled himself forward, pitting his strength against the Prince of Saiyans.

* * *

Tien dodged an energy volley, aiming a Dodonpa at his opponent. A second android kicked him in the back, sending him into the side of a building. The Dodonpa fired off into empty air. Tien brushed some rubble off himself. _"Tch, it's hard to fight more than one when I can't even sense them."_

One of the androids, a man whose entire body seemed to have been swapped for a mechanical version, stepped through the broken wall. Tien rolled and swept his legs out from under him. The android fell to the ground.

Tien laughed, aiming another Dodonpa at the back of his neck. _"These guys don't seem to be used to their powers. They can fly, but they don't make good use of that during combat."_ When his legs were taken out, he could have kept himself in the air, but he didn't. It was good evidence that he came into his enhancements quite recently.

The second android burst in. A woman this time. Her hands were made of a black metal with knife-like fingers.

Tien held up a hand. "Stop right there, or he dies."

She lunged and Tien pushed himself into the air, spinning and launching an axe kick on her back. She slammed into the ground, cracking the floor tiles. The man spun to his feet, charging a blast in his hand, but Tien had already taken a position above them, his hands in the position for the Kikoho.

Neither android moved.

Tien smirked. "I thought you might know what this is." The smirk faded. "You're from the Crane school; I recognize your technique. What does Tao stand to gain from this attack?"

No answer.

He grit his teeth and began charging his attack, shimmering yellow energy gathering between his hands. The two's eyes met.

"Don't move!" Tien shouted. "I was once a student of the Crane. You should know I have no qualms about killing you. Especially considering all the people you've already killed." His eyes narrowed. "Where is Tao?" He looked back and forth between them. "Where is he!"

The man raised his metallic hands slowly. He gulped. "He's… he's heading for… West City."

Tien furrowed his brow. "Why? What does he want there?"

They looked at each other. The woman spoke. "We don't know. He just told us to head there after we received the signal."

"What signal?"

She pointed at her head. "The one from our transmitters."

Tien exhaled heavily. _"West City, huh? He might cause trouble for Bulma. I'm fairly certain I felt Vegeta leave a while ago. She might need help."_ He nodded to himself. The energy in his hands glowed brighter and a powerful pillar of ki obliterated the two and the floor of the house, creating a deep hole.

"It's a good thing I didn't bring Chiaotzu. I'm not sure he could handle a reunion." He took to the air and headed for West City.

* * *

Within the Satans' mansion, Joey snuck and rifled around like a thief in the night. Actually, it _was_ night and he _was_ here to steal something. If he had any other options, he'd gladly take them, but there was little choice if he wanted to accomplish what he'd set out to do. Record a fight the likes of which had only been seen at the Cell Games.

After Gohan flew off, his chances of doing so had decreased dramatically. He'd never expected the fight between him and the android would be over so quick. So, in order to get his fight, he'd have to track Gohan down. To do that, he needed a jet. So, here he was.

He clicked his tongue. "Where do they keep their vehicles? Agh, they could be anywhere." Capsules made it way easier to store large items but much harder to find them. He stumbled around through the hallways, not daring to turn on the lights. Somebody might still be outside, waiting to enter the bunker. He was fairly certain no one had seen him sneak away from the crowd, but he wasn't about to go asking for trouble.

He came to a door and tested it. It opened. He went through to a large, open space. It was a garage; three large retractable doors let light in through high windows, enough to let him see. He smiled, attempting to adjust his glasses. Then he remembered he wasn't wearing them. _"Right. Anyway, the garage. I bet I'll find something here."_

He searched the place and found a panel in the wall, slightly ajar. Within were rows of Capsules in custom holders. _"Jackpot!"_ he thought. He picked out a two-seater jet and stuffed it in his pocket. After sneaking back out of the building, he released the jet and climbed in. Luckily, the controls were pretty simple and he'd read up on how to fly a jet before. _"I've always wanted one of my own."_ He grimaced. _"But… I should probably bring this one back when I'm done. I'll make enough money from the footage to buy dozens of these."_

He reached for the ignition button but stopped, furrowing his brow. "I can't fly and film at the same time…" He rubbed a hand on his chin then snapped his fingers. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Clara? Where are you?"

* * *

Gohan hurtled through the air to his home, focusing his senses. _"Alright, I can feel Goten. What about Mom?"_ He furrowed his brow, honing in on her familiar signature. He grinned. _"She's there!"_ They were both still alive. It was everything he could hope for. His face turned grim. _"Now, I just need to get there before that changes."_

He summoned all his speed, turning the landscape into a blur. Soon, mountains came into view, then Mt. Paozu, then his home. He landed outside the domed house, noting some fallen trees and scores in the ground. His mouth went dry.

The door slammed open and a golden blur slammed into him. "Gohan! You're here!" Goten cried, looking up with teal blue eyes.

Gohan's jaw fell. "G-Goten! Your hair!"

Goten frowned. "What?" He tried to get a look at his hair but found it to be an impossible task.

Gohan ran a hand through his own blond hair. "You're a Super Saiyan! That's… that's incredible!"

Goten blinked. "I am?" He pulled a lock of his hair down. "My hair looks like a banana!" He pulled it further, sticking his tongue out.

Gohan flicked his forehead. "You're hair is not a banana!"

"But it looks like one!"

Gohan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Goten, I _promise_ your hair tastes nothing like a banana." He knelt before the boy. "Is Mom okay? What happened here?"

Goten's eyes widened. "Oh! Right! Mom's inside with the bad guys. She went to look for some rope to tie them up!"

Gohan nodded. "Good. And you're both okay? No injuries?"

Goten frowned. "One of them hit mom really hard, right on her cheek. Then I got really mad and beat them up." He grinned. "Mommy said I did a good job."

Gohan smiled and ruffled his hair. "You did, Goten. I'm proud of you."

Goten's grin got wider.

"Y'know, I think you can drop the transformation. If anybody else shows up, I'll take care of them, alright sport?"

Goten tilted his head. "Uh… I don't know how?"

Gohan laughed and stood. "Well, we can work on that. Let's go see Mom, okay?" Goten nodded and skipped inside. Gohan took a breath and followed. _"I got here too late."_ His gaze darkened. _"It's good that everything worked out, but I was still too late to prevent Goten from having to fight. What if they had been stronger?"_ He shook his head. This wasn't a good line of thought. Though, it _was_ something that deserved consideration. But, perhaps at a later time.

* * *

Vegeta and Cell clashed, every blow creating a shockwave that tore at the nearby cliffs, ripping boulders from their sides. They flashed through the canyon, meeting blow for blow, until Vegeta slipped past a punch and crushed a fist into Cell's chest, shattering the carapace. Cell flew back, digging a furrow into the ground and slipping into the river.

Vegeta smirked and flicked his hand to get purple blood off his glove. Cell burst from the water, seething, and the crater in his chest quickly repaired itself. He growled and attacked. Vegeta caught his fist, throwing it to the side and sunk a fist into his cheek then an elbow into the other.

Cell reeled back and fired a wave of ki, encompassing Vegeta. He didn't let up and went on the attack again, sending an air-shattering kick to Vegeta's ribs. The Saiyan prince raised a leg to block it then placed his hand on Cell's leg, creating an explosion of ki at the point of contact. Cell shouted as the armor on his leg cracked and he swiped his arm to force Vegeta away, gaining some distance, himself.

Vegeta brushed his fingers against his armor, wiping away some dust. "Pitiful, Cell, really. I knew I'd defeat you handily, but this is just sad." He snapped his fingers, pointing to his cheek. "Here, I'll let you have a free hit. Maybe that will make things a bit more fair?"

Cell's face twisted in fury. "You! You insufferable cretin!" Vegeta laughed and dodged an onslaught of blows, grabbing Cell's arm as it flew past and throwing him into a cliff. Rocks cascaded down, burying him with rubble.

Vegeta sighed. _"This is a waste of my time. It's time to finish this."_ He spread his arms wide, gathering yellow energy into his hands. Golden lightning sparked between him and the nearby cliffs, carving grooves into the rock. Vegeta's aura flared brilliantly as he charged up his most powerful attack.

And then Cell burst from the rubble, getting right in Vegeta's face. His hands grasped each of Vegeta's arms firmly, locking them in place. Vegeta was unable to bring them together to finish the attack.

Vegeta's eyes nearly popped out of his head and he struggled to free himself, trying to get his legs between them to push Cell away. Cell didn't let him get purchase and increased his grip, making the veins pop out on Vegeta's arms. He grinned. "Vegeta, you poor soul. You've played right into my hands." His tail extended, snaking up until it was next to his face. "I wasn't certain I'd be able to defeat Gohan but... with your power added to mine? There can no longer be any doubt."

Vegeta grit his teeth and exerted all his strength to free himself. "Damn you! I will not be—" He wracked his arms back and forth, but Cell's grip remained firm. "—defeated! Not like this!"

Cell's stinger plunged into Vegeta's neck. He screamed. The ki in his hands faded and his aura dispersed. His hair flicked back to black.

"That's it, Vegeta! Scream! This is a special occasion and I want to enjoy it!"

* * *

A/N: So, I guess Vegeta fans hate me now :P Also, if you're interested in what I've been doing for the past 6 months or so, I updated my profile with details.


	30. Chapter 30: Android Round-up

Chapter 30: Android Round-up

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Gohan pried off a panel on one of the tied up androids' arms, pulling out wires and breaking off knobs and dials. _"There, now if they wake up, they probably won't be able to do anything."_ The ropes his mother had found weren't strong enough to keep them bound normally, so he had to take some extra measures. He set the panel back in place, bending the corners so it wouldn't move.

He had changed out of his suit in anticipation of further fights, donning his normal gi. It was unlikely, but Vegeta might need his help for something. Or, maybe he could head to Capital City if Dende hadn't already sent someone. Either way, he was prepared to go.

He moved on to the next one, searching for a place to interfere with the mechanics. But something was odd. The unaltered arm was cold. He furrowed his brow and brought his ear to the bionic man's face. No breathing.

Gohan paled, ice running through his veins. _"Is he… dead?"_ It was an awful thought. If he was dead then that meant the one who killed him… NO! Goten wouldn't do that!

Gohan felt for a pulse in the man's neck but found nothing. _"Damn it!"_ He put his palm to the man's chest and pulsed ki into him, attempting to resuscitate him. _"You can't die! You can't do that to Goten! You just… you just can't!"_

Over and over, bright light surged from his hand and shook the body of the android. But there was no sign of movement. No breath. No heartbeat. Gohan clenched his eyes shut, biting his tongue. _"This can't be happening. Not to Goten. He was never supposed to fight!"_

He took deep breaths to calm himself. "I can't let him find out." Goten's transformation had tired him out, so he was asleep now. Chichi was with him in the other room. "I have to move these two out of the house."

He shouldered both of them and snuck out through a window then headed into the woods a bit. He dropped them. His eyes lingered on the survivor. _"What am I supposed to do with_ you _?"_ he thought. Seriously, what did you do with an enemy that might be able to break out of any jail you put him in? There was nowhere to keep him and he had no idea if his 'modifications' would actually hinder the android.

He closed his eyes. "I'll have to deal with you later. Maybe Bulma can deactivate them, somehow? Then, we can just put them in jail like normal criminals."

He went back inside and found his mother on the couch in the living room, holding a sleeping Goten and rubbing circles on his back. He'd reverted after falling asleep, the transformation obviously taking too much energy for him to maintain.

Chichi had a dark bruise on her cheek and she looked a bit ruffled but, beyond that, seemed fine.

Gohan sank down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "How're you doing? Want something for your cheek?"

She glanced at him and shook her head. "No. This barely hurts." She sighed. "I'm more worried about Goten. This is the first time he's ever been attacked. I hope it doesn't affect him too much." She looked at Gohan. "Did you take care of those two?"

Gohan fixed his jaw and nodded. "Yeah, they shouldn't bother anyone. But, you two should still get out of here. It's not safe right now."

She frowned. "And you want to go back out there, I suppose?"

Gohan scratched his head. "I… It's really not that dangerous. Those androids aren't very tough, so I can take care of them real quick." He forced a laugh and a grin. "It's probably just some remnant of Red Ribbon or something! Man, those guys are like cockroaches, aren't they?"

Chichi pulled him into a hug, kissing his cheek. "Be careful, sweetie. I don't want you getting hurt."

Gohan nodded, chin against her shoulder, and pulled away. "I'll be fine. Promise. Besides, I won't be the only one out there. All the others are fighting, too," he said.

Chichi sighed, closing her eyes. "I just thought we were done with this stuff… will it never end?"

Gohan swallowed heavily and stood. "I'll call the Nimbus for you. You'll be safe at the Lookout."

She nodded, head lowered and eyes downcast.

 _"This really seems to bother her. I can't let her find out what happened to that android. She deserves some peace of mind."_

It was after they'd disappeared over the horizon that he felt it. Vegeta's ki was rapidly fading. His jaw fell. "What's going on!? Vegeta… is he…" He shot into the air and locked onto Vegeta's fading signature. _"Oh God, he's about to die. I have to get there, now!"_

There was only one way. But, what if it didn't work? He shook his head. _"That's a risk I'll have to take."_

He placed two fingers on his forehead and concentrated every fiber of his being on that fading ki. He let his energy encompass him in a shroud of light. Then, he vanished.

* * *

Eighteen hovered above South City, eyes combing the ground for androids. Pillars of smoke rose from several buildings. Sirens blared as firetrucks and ambulances hurtled through the streets. A building on the other side of the city collapsed in a puff of dust that must have plunged that block into darkness.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed. "What a mess."

She spotted movement, faster than a human. _"There we go."_ She rushed down, forming a ball of green energy in her hand. She set eyes on her target, a woman in clothes similar to those Gohan's mother wore with a long metallic braid that whipped around like a snake. She pounced on a fleeing man and the braid pierced through him with ease.

Eighteen tossed her blast forth and the murderous woman was destroyed in green fire. The large blast demolished a nearby house, as well, but it was no big deal. She blinked as the dust and smoke cleared. _"That was easy. These guys really aren't that strong."_ She narrowed her eyes, taking in the destruction around her. _"And yet they caused this much havoc. This world really isn't prepared for people like us."_

She heard a young girl's scream and set off in search. There might be another android there, which would be convenient, as searching for them manually was a pain. Eighteen followed the screaming into an apartment building with a gaping hole in its walls. Multiple floors were visible through it and the building creaked annoyingly. It'd probably collapse soon, so she'd need to hurry. She didn't want her clothes torn up by falling debris.

She hurried down a hallway where every door had been blasted to pieces. She could see bodies in some of them, victims of the android. She heard another scream, this time a man's voice, and looked up. It had come from the floor above. She fired a blast to get the ceiling out of the way and finally found her target.

The android didn't seem to have any mechanical parts, and it held up a man by the throat. Strange dots of light coursed up its arm. Eighteen frowned. _"Energy absorption type?"_ Just like Nineteen and Twenty. No matter, it still wasn't a threat.

It dropped the man and turned its gaze on her, its irises like the aperture of a camera. _"Okay, so it's a little mechanical."_

She wasted no time and sunk a fist into its chest. It coughed up blood and she quickly removed her arm to avoid stains. _"So, he's more like Gero than Nineteen. He used to be human, rather than built from scratch."_ Why was she thinking about this, anyway? It didn't actually matter whether it started out as human or not. What mattered was that it was dealt with like Gohan asked.

She let the android fall to the ground and looked around for any bonus enemies. All she found was a little girl in tears, snot dripping from her nose. She looked to be eight or nine and knelt next to the man, grasping his shirt.

The building shook, knocking the girl over and Eighteen sighed. _"Now I have to deal with_ this _."_ She checked the man's pulse and confirmed he was dead. That was unfortunate, but Gohan and his friends would use the Dragonballs to bring him back, so it wasn't too great a tragedy. The real problem was the little girl. She'd have to take her somewhere else.

She knelt before the girl. "Come with me. I'll take you somewhere safe."

The little girl looked up, her face a mess. She shook her head and looked back down at the man. "I can't! Daddy's hurt!" she said, voice trembling. She sniffed. "Can you help him? Please?"

Eighteen frowned. "I'm sure your dad will be fine on his own. But we have to go."

"NO! I won't leave without Daddy!" She clung to him, pressing her face against his chest.

Eighteen scowled. _"We're wasting time. I'm done with this."_ She picked the girl up by her dress and tucked her under her arm. The girl screamed and struggled, but it didn't accomplish anything. _"This is for your own good. I'm sure you'll appreciate it, someday."_

She flew off as the building began to tilt. She landed on the street opposite the direction the building was falling and called out to a woman running on the sidewalk. "Hey, you! Can you look after—" The woman didn't even stop to look at her.

Eighteen frowned. _"Well, that's rude."_ She looked at the weeping kid under her arm. "Hey, you have a mom or grandparents around here?"

The girl bit her lip and nodded.

Eighteen smiled. "Alright, lead the way."

* * *

Krillin tore through the sky, heading for Capital City. He could already see the glow of fire. The smoke in the distance was like little spindles of black that rose up to blend with the clouds. _"Damn, I wish I could've gotten here faster."_ The casualties in Satan City were probably a lot lower than the other cities, as Gohan was already there to deal with the situation. Capital City probably had the worst of it, considering Krillin was only just now getting there.

He stopped and looked behind him as he felt Tien's ki. He passed behind him a good distance to the South, far enough Krillin couldn't see him. _"Where's he going? I thought he'd be in East City?"_ He frowned and shook his head. Tien probably had a reason for leaving. He'd probably already secured East City and was going to help out elsewhere.

There was a loud crack in the distance and he set forth again. He spotted someone firing blasts into the city indiscriminately and grit his teeth. _"Here we go!"_ He hurtled down, smashing into the unaware android. The ground cratered and he could feel metal warping and bones cracking under his fist.

He hopped back and observed his foe. Both of his artificial eyes were cracked, his arms were bent out of shape, and he was coughing up blood. Krillin nodded. _"He's not gonna be moving anytime soon."_ He left him and started searching for other attackers.

He dispatched two other androids fairly quickly. _"Man, these guys are small-fry. I thought I'd have a harder time! Maybe I'm just a lot stronger than before?"_ He grinned, snickering to himself. A group of screams wiped the smile off his face.

He swiveled his head. _"Where did that come from?"_ He searched all the nearby buildings, but they were empty, except for the bodies. The androids didn't kill all their victims with energy blasts. His stomach twisted at the sight. _"Those bastards! These are innocent people!"_ Any happiness he was feeling before was gone.

 _"I have to stop this, now! Before anyone else gets hurt!"_ he thought, grimacing. Finally, he spotted an open hatch on the ground. _"Right! A bunker! Of course that's where people would go! ...And if an android found it…"_ He grit his teeth and dropped in. He heard another scream but it was cut off.

He ran through a hall reinforced with steel ribbing and came to a hatch that had been blown through. The room within held a crowd huddled in a corner. There was also a man holding another by the throat, beads of light running up his arm. He wore a green martial arts gi and had golden bands on his arms and neck.

Krillin's eyes widened. _"He's like Nineteen and Twenty!"_ He recalled the way Goku had had his energy drained by Nineteen. This guy could be troublesome. What's worse is that Krillin had no idea how strong he was compared to Nineteen. What if this guy was too tough for him?

He shook his head. _"I have to fight! These people are counting on me!"_ He shot forth, fist drawn back.

* * *

Bulma screamed and held onto the control console as the building shook. The video feed flickered in and out, but she could just make out their enemy. Mercenary Tao. His stern face was set into a scowl as he took out all her defense mechanisms, one by one. She looked to her side. "Yamcha! Get out there and _do_ something!"

"Huh?" he blinked. "Uh, oh! Right! Leave this to me!" He pat his bicep and headed for the door.

Trunks groaned as he watched him leave. His turret had been destroyed, meaning he couldn't do anything anymore.

She approached, keeping a hand on the wall to withstand the tremors still reverberating through the building. "C'mon, Trunks. We're going to the safe-room."

The boy's jaw fell. "Aw, Mom, no! Can't I stay and watch the fight? What if he needs help?" He winced as Bulma grabbed his arm and pulled him along behind her.

"You should leave the fighting to the grownups! Yamcha has everything under con—" A familiar yell came through the feed and they turned back. Tao had Yamcha kneeling on the ground in a wrist lock. Bulma gaped.

Trunks smirked. "See, he needs my help! Besides, I can totally take that guy! I mean, I fought Eighteen before and I almost won!"

Bulma frowned. "What was that? This is the first I'm hearing this."

Trunks paled, his eyes swimming. "Uh, I-I mean… that is…" He grabbed her arm, pulling her along instead. "We really should be going! That safe-room won't wait forever!" He giggled nervously.

Bulma gave him a flat stare but let him lead on. A loud metallic screech pierced the air and the building shook once more. She looked at the feed but couldn't see Tao anymore. Yamcha was on the ground, unmoving. _"Oh, no! Is… He's not…"_ The door to the control room burst in, bouncing off the floor and skidding into the wall with loud, metallic clangs. Tao entered, hands behind his back.

Unlike the other androids that had attacked, he didn't have any obvious modifications. And she could've sworn he'd had enhancements on his head and arms. His eyes were distinctly human, rather than protruding red lenses, as Gohan had once described to her. He'd met Tao before the Cell Games and put a stop to his wrong-doings.

She started pulling Trunks along, determined to get to the safe-room. But Trunks dragged his feet. He growled at the mercenary. "Hey, you jerk! People live here, y'know?! Now we're gonna have to get that replaced!"

Tao brought a hand to his face and stroke his thin mustache. "That is not my concern." His eyes landed on Bulma. "Ah, yes. I remember you. Son Goku's companion and the brilliant scientist, Bulma, correct?" He smiled and a chill went down Bulma's spine. "Just the person I was looking for."

Bulma picked up Trunks and tried to run. Unfortunately, her son could fly. He anchored himself in the air so she couldn't move. Trunks' eyes narrowed. "What do you want with my Mom?"

Tao approached, bearing down on them. "I require a spaceship. I know you have one. Simply hand it over and no one gets hurt, understood?"

Bulma's jaw fell. "A spaceship? Why in the world would you want one of those?"

His eyes narrowed. "My reasons are my own. Now give me a ship, before I get angry!"

Trunks grit his teeth. "I'll show _you_ angry!" He flared his aura and charged.

* * *

Gohan reappeared and took in his surroundings. Cell was here, so he hadn't missed his mark. This was the first time he'd actually done it correctly. The sun was beginning to rise, but the canyon was still in deep shadow due to the high walls. Gohan frowned. _"I don't sense Vegeta, and I can't see him. Where is he?"_

Cell turned, taking notice of his arrival, and Gohan noticed something in his hand. A blue cloth. And on the ground was a mass of white and yellow. Like Vegeta's armor…

Cell smirked and the realization struck Gohan like a train. _"Vegeta's… dead."_ No ki signature, Cell was holding his suit, his armor was on the ground… he was dead. Gohan's head spun. _"What? How—Cell shouldn't have been able—"_ But it had happened. Still, how could Vegeta be defeated? He'd become incredibly strong and there's no _way_ he'd let his guard down around Cell, again! Right?

 _"Oh God, what am I gonna tell Bulma and Trunks? They'll be devastated."_ He grit his teeth. _"How could I have let this happen?"_ His eyes narrowed at Cell. _"Why'd you have to come back?! You should've stayed dead!"_ How many people had died today because of him? How much suffering had he caused? He'd even targeted Gohan's own family. He was despicable! Irredeemable!

Gohan narrowed his eyes and tensed himself, leaking red aura. _"I should've done this from the start. I let him get in my head and distract me. No more!"_ He growled as red and yellow aura sprung up around him, flickering wildly. His hair changed, turning red, and his eyes followed.

Cell dropped Vegeta's suit, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, this is new. But you seem to have gotten weaker, my young friend. Quite the unconventional tactic."

Gohan frowned, his eyes hard like steel. "Cell, it's time you go back to Hell."

* * *

A/N: Lot's of stuff going on in this chapter. I've got at least three good fights set up, and we finally get to see Gohan using his new transformtion! Which is awesome.


End file.
